Text & Translation
In Kheyder
Yiddish source:
Moshe Milner
un tu a kuk in di kleyne oysyelekh
tayere oysyelekh, gilderne oysyelekh
gikher, gikher, kum aher
Hob keyn moyre nit, shrek zikh nit
ot azoy, zets zikh avek un her oys mit kop
zets zikh, ot azoy, her zikh tsu:
Komets aleph O, komets beys BO, komets giml GO, komets daled DO
Pasekh aleph A, pasekh beys BA, pasekh giml GA, pasekh daled DA.
Ot azoy yingele, ot azoy darf men lernen yingele,
Oy vey, tayer yingele, tu a kuk in sider
un zog nokh amol, komets aleph O, komets beys BO.
Hekher shtarker - O, BO.
Ot azoy darf men lernen yingele - A, BA, GA, DA
Hekher, shtarker
Ot azoy darf men lernen yingele A, BE, BO, GA
Ot azoy freylekher, lebediker, genarnnik
Ot azoy yingele darf men lernen toyre
Toyre iz di beste skhroyre
Volst geven a tayer yingele, zolst nit zayn a genarnik
Ay bistu a genarnik yingele,
(genug) shoyn farmakh dem sider, bist fray.
Gedenk mayn kind, a yid darf lernen toyre
azoy zogt undz der heyliker boyre.
Az men vet dikh fregn vos host do gelernt in kheyder
zolstu zogn host gelernt toyre
gedenk - toyre, nokh a mol - toyre
toyre, toyre, toyre
In School
English translation ©
Helen Beer
and take a look at the little letters
Dear letters, precious letters
Quicker, quicker, come over here.
Don’t be afraid, don’t be scared
That’s the way, sit down and listen carefully
Sit down, that’s the way, and listen….
Komets aleph O, komets beys BO, komets giml GO, komets daled DO
Pasekh aleph A, pasekh beys BA, pasekh giml GA, pasekh daled DA.
That’s the way little boy, that’s the way to learn little boy,
Oh dear, dear little boy, look inside the prayer book
and repeat again ‘komets aleph O, komets beys BO.
Louder, stronger - O, BO.
That’s the way to learn little boy - A, BA, GA, DA
Louder, stronger
That’s the way to learn little boy A, BE, BO, GA.
That’s the way - happier, livelier, trickster
That’s the way to learn Torah little boy
Learning is the best thing.
If you were a dear little boy, and you shouldn't be a trickster.
Oh are you a trickster, little boy!
Enough, close the prayer book, you are free.
Remember my child, a Jew must learn Torah
So says the Holy Creator.
If you are asked what you have learned in Kheyder
You should say that you studied Torah
Remember - Torah, once again - Torah.
Torah, Torah, Torah.
In Kheyder
Yiddish source:
Moshe Milner
In School
English source:
Helen Beer
Kum aher yingele nenter tsu mir,
Come here, closer to me little boy
un tu a kuk in di kleyne oysyelekh
and take a look at the little letters
tayere oysyelekh, gilderne oysyelekh
Dear letters, precious letters
gikher, gikher, kum aher
Quicker, quicker, come over here.
Hob keyn moyre nit, shrek zikh nit
Don’t be afraid, don’t be scared
ot azoy, zets zikh avek un her oys mit kop
That’s the way, sit down and listen carefully
zets zikh, ot azoy, her zikh tsu:
Sit down, that’s the way, and listen….
Komets aleph O, komets beys BO, komets giml GO, komets daled DO
Komets aleph O, komets beys BO, komets giml GO, komets daled DO
Pasekh aleph A, pasekh beys BA, pasekh giml GA, pasekh daled DA.
Pasekh aleph A, pasekh beys BA, pasekh giml GA, pasekh daled DA.
Ot azoy yingele, ot azoy darf men lernen yingele,
That’s the way little boy, that’s the way to learn little boy,
Oy vey, tayer yingele, tu a kuk in sider
Oh dear, dear little boy, look inside the prayer book
un zog nokh amol, komets aleph O, komets beys BO.
and repeat again ‘komets aleph O, komets beys BO.
Hekher shtarker - O, BO.
Louder, stronger - O, BO.
Ot azoy darf men lernen yingele - A, BA, GA, DA
That’s the way to learn little boy - A, BA, GA, DA
Hekher, shtarker
Louder, stronger
Ot azoy darf men lernen yingele A, BE, BO, GA
That’s the way to learn little boy A, BE, BO, GA.
Ot azoy freylekher, lebediker, genarnnik
That’s the way - happier, livelier, trickster
Ot azoy yingele darf men lernen toyre
That’s the way to learn Torah little boy
Toyre iz di beste skhroyre
Learning is the best thing.
Volst geven a tayer yingele, zolst nit zayn a genarnik
If you were a dear little boy, and you shouldn't be a trickster.
Ay bistu a genarnik yingele,
Oh are you a trickster, little boy!
(genug) shoyn farmakh dem sider, bist fray.
Enough, close the prayer book, you are free.
Gedenk mayn kind, a yid darf lernen toyre
Remember my child, a Jew must learn Torah
azoy zogt undz der heyliker boyre.
So says the Holy Creator.
Az men vet dikh fregn vos host do gelernt in kheyder
If you are asked what you have learned in Kheyder
zolstu zogn host gelernt toyre
You should say that you studied Torah
gedenk - toyre, nokh a mol - toyre
Remember - Torah, once again - Torah.
toyre, toyre, toyre
Torah, Torah, Torah.
Composer
Moshe Milner
Mikhail "Moshe" Arnoldovich Milner was a Russian Jewish pianist and composer. He is notable as composer, and conductor, of the first Yiddish opera in post-revolution Russia "Die Himlen brenen" ("The Heavens Burn") in 1923. Read more here.