Text & Translation
Yoshke fort avek
Yiddish source:
Traditional
Koyf mir nit keyn lokenes
Un makh mikh nit sheyn,
Koyf dir a por shtivelekh –
Tsum priziv darfstu geyn!
Refren:
Oy, oy, oy, oy,
Yoshke fort avek,
Nokh a sho un nokh a sho,
Der poyezd geyt avek! …
Er:
Zay zhe mir gezunt,
Mayn libe kale! –
Nokh dir vel ikh benken
Mer vi nokh ale!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Zi:
Der ban iz shoyn gekumen –
Es khapt mikh on a shrek!
Lomir zikh gezegenen –
Der poyezd geyt avek!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Er:
Klog zhe nit un veyn zhe nit,
S’iz altsding blote!
Ikh vel zayn bay fonyen
Der ershter in der rote!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Zi:
In droysn iz a zaverukhe,
In droysn iz a shney, -
Oy-vey, mamenyu,
Dos kepele tut mir vey!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Yoshke is leaving
English translation ©
Helen Beer
Don’t buy me any gifts
nor try to make me nice,
Buy yourself some boots
You must go to military service!
Chorus:
Oy-oy, oy-oy,
Yoshke is leaving,
An hour and another hour,
and the train is departing!
Him:
Good-by to you,
my dearest bride!
I will miss you
more than anyone else!
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Her:
The train has arrived -
Fear grabs hold of me
Let us say our farewells -
The train is leaving!
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Him:
Don’t despair and do not cry,
Everything is awful!
I will be with the Ruskis
and the first in the army division!
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Her:
There is a blizzard outside
and the snow is falling, -
Oh dear, mummy,
My head hurts!
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Yoshke fort avek
Yiddish source:
Traditional
Yoshke is leaving
English source:
Helen Beer
Zi:
Her:
Koyf mir nit keyn lokenes
Don’t buy me any gifts
Un makh mikh nit sheyn,
nor try to make me nice,
Koyf dir a por shtivelekh –
Buy yourself some boots
Tsum priziv darfstu geyn!
You must go to military service!
Refren:
Chorus:
Oy, oy, oy, oy,
Oy-oy, oy-oy,
Yoshke fort avek,
Yoshke is leaving,
Nokh a sho un nokh a sho,
An hour and another hour,
Der poyezd geyt avek! …
and the train is departing!
Er:
Him:
Zay zhe mir gezunt,
Good-by to you,
Mayn libe kale! –
my dearest bride!
Nokh dir vel ikh benken
I will miss you
Mer vi nokh ale!
more than anyone else!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Zi:
Her:
Der ban iz shoyn gekumen –
The train has arrived -
Es khapt mikh on a shrek!
Fear grabs hold of me
Lomir zikh gezegenen –
Let us say our farewells -
Der poyezd geyt avek!
The train is leaving!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Er:
Him:
Klog zhe nit un veyn zhe nit,
Don’t despair and do not cry,
S’iz altsding blote!
Everything is awful!
Ikh vel zayn bay fonyen
I will be with the Ruskis
Der ershter in der rote!
and the first in the army division!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Zi:
Her:
In droysn iz a zaverukhe,
There is a blizzard outside
In droysn iz a shney, -
and the snow is falling, -
Oy-vey, mamenyu,
Oh dear, mummy,
Dos kepele tut mir vey!
My head hurts!
Oy, oy, oy, oy…
Oy-oy, oy-oy...
Composer
Poet
Traditional
Traditional