Text & Translation
Oyfn grinem bergele
Yiddish source:
Issac Leib Peretz
vakst a yung beymele
vil dos beymele nisht shlofn
Di levone tut es shtrofn
tsayt dir dremlen beymele
oyfn grinem bergele!
Azoy zogn oykh di shtern,
nor dos beymele vil nisht hern,
vil nisht tsumakhn di oygn
Iz a vintele tsugefloygn
tsu dem grinem bergele,
khapt arum dos beymele.
Shoklt shtil un vigt es ayn:
Beymele, beymele, ruik zayn!
Shlofn muz men, beymele green.
Vigt aher, vigt ahin,
dremlt ayn dos beymele
oyfn grinem bergele.
Little Green Tree
English translation ©
Helen Beer
grows a little young tree
The little tree doesn't want to sleep.
The moon punishes it,
It's time to snooze little tree
on the little green hill!
The stars also say the same
but the little tree doesn't want to hear,
doesn't want to close its eyes.
So a little breeze blew over
to the little green hill,
and embraced the little green tree.
It shakes it gently and cradles it:
Little tree, little tree, be quiet!
One must sleep, little green tree.
It rocks this way and that way,
and the little tree falls asleep
on the little green hill.
Oyfn grinem bergele
Yiddish source:
Issac Leib Peretz
Little Green Tree
English source:
Helen Beer
Oyfn grinem bergele
On the little green hill
vakst a yung beymele
grows a little young tree
vil dos beymele nisht shlofn
The little tree doesn't want to sleep.
Di levone tut es shtrofn
The moon punishes it,
tsayt dir dremlen beymele
It's time to snooze little tree
oyfn grinem bergele!
on the little green hill!
Azoy zogn oykh di shtern,
The stars also say the same
nor dos beymele vil nisht hern,
but the little tree doesn't want to hear,
vil nisht tsumakhn di oygn
doesn't want to close its eyes.
Iz a vintele tsugefloygn
So a little breeze blew over
tsu dem grinem bergele,
to the little green hill,
khapt arum dos beymele.
and embraced the little green tree.
Shoklt shtil un vigt es ayn:
It shakes it gently and cradles it:
Beymele, beymele, ruik zayn!
Little tree, little tree, be quiet!
Shlofn muz men, beymele green.
One must sleep, little green tree.
Vigt aher, vigt ahin,
It rocks this way and that way,
dremlt ayn dos beymele
and the little tree falls asleep
oyfn grinem bergele.
on the little green hill.
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.