Yankele

Shlof zhe shoyn, mein yingele, mayn kleyner Di eygelekh di shvartsinke makh tsu A yingele vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh Muz nokh di mame zingen ay-lyu-lyu ___________________________ A yingele vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh Un vet mit mazl bald in kheyder geyn Un lernen vet er khumesh mit gemore Zol veynen ven di mame vigt im eyn? ___________________________ A yingele vos lernen vet gemore Ot shteyt der tate kvelt un hert zikh tsu A yingele vos vakst a talmid-khokhem Lozt gantse nekht der mamen nisht tsu ru? ___________________________ A yingele vos vakst a talmid-khokhem Un a geniter soykher oykh tsu glaykh A yingele a kluger khosn-bokher Zol lign azoy nas vi in a taykh ___________________________ Nu shlof zhe shoyn, mayn kluger khosn-bokher Dervayl ligstu in vigele bay mir S’vet kostn nokh fil mi un mames trern Biz vanen s’vet a mentsh aroys fun dir ___________________________

Sleep, sleep, Yankele, my handsome son. Close your little black eyes. My little one, now that you have all your teeth - must your mother still sing you to sleep? ___________________________ The little boy who has all his teeth and who, with luck (God willing), will soon go to kheyder And learn Torah and Talmud - must he cry when his mama rocks him to sleep? ___________________________ The little boy who will learn Talmud - and how glad and proud in his heart your father is a young man that will be a Talmud scholar must he make his mother stay awake all night? ___________________________ A young man who will be a Talmud scholar, who will be a bridegroom yet. Sleep while you are still in your cradle by my side. ________________________________ Sleep then, my little one, my clever one Sleep while you are still in your cradle by my side. It will cost your mother many tears to make a man of you. ___________________________