VER DER ERSHTER VET LAKHN
words and music by M. Gebirtig

1. Kh'vel zikher, Avreml, der ershter nisht lakhn,
ikh vet zikh, megst vi nokh zikh vitslen.
Kh'vel nemen in zinen mir troyerike zakhn,
nu, megstu afile mikh kitslen.
- Vest lakhn, ikh vet zikh,
vest Shloymele shoyn lakhn,
ikh hob a mitl gor a voyle zakh.
Megst hobn zikh in zinen di troyerikste zakhn,
vet muzn zayn bay dir der ershter lakh.

2. Dos ershte, Avreml, nem ikh mir in zinen
mayn uremen tatn dem shvakhn,
vos zukht arum arbet un ken nisht gefinen,
nu, vet zikh mir glustn tsu lakhn ?
- Vest lakhn, ikh vet zikh,
vest, Shloymele, farshpiln,
ikh hob a mitl gor a voyle zakh:
kh'vel miauken vi a ketsl un vi a hintl biln,
vet muzn zayn bay dir der ershter lakh.

3. - Ikh vel dikh dermanen, k'hob nekhtn in kheyder
di sidre vos geyt haynt fargesn,
der rebe, er vil nor kh'zol lernen keseyder,
er veyst nisht vi mir vilt zikh esn.
- Vest lakhn, ikh vet zikh,
vest nisht zayn aza shlekhter,
shtel ayn a knepl, kh'shtel akegn fir,
vest haltn zikh di zaytn un kaykhn fun gelekhter,
derzeendik vos ikh hob do bay mir.

4. - Ikh vel zikh dermanen dem rebns tsornik ponim,
ven er hot mikh genumen farhern.
Nor k'hob ikh fun kantshik fil bloye simonim,
geveynt fun yesurim un trern.
- Vest lakhn, vest lakhn, aher gib shoyn dos knepl,
ze, Shloymele, vos hob ikh do far dir,
a zemele mit puter, un hering a fayn kepl,
abi, zog , Shloymke, ver vet lakhn frier.
- A zemele mit puter, un hering a fayn kepl,
Kh'vel morgn vider vetn zikh mit dir.

TRANSLATIONS

Ver der ershter vet lakhn
(from Efim Chorny)
WHO WILL LAUGH FIRST

-For sure, Avreml,
I won't be the first to laugh.
I bet you, though you joke
I'll think about sad things.
You can even tickle me.
You will laugh, I bet you.
-Shloymele, you will laugh.
I have a remedy, a fine remedy,
You can think of the saddest things
But you'll have to be the first to laugh.

-First of all, Avreml,
I think of my poor weak father.
Who looks for work but can't find any.
Well, will I feel like laughing?
-You will laugh, I bet you,
You will lose, Shloymele,
I have a remedy, a fine remedy,
I'll meow like a cat and bark like a dog,
So you'll have to be the first to laugh.

- I will remember that yesterday in Kheder,
I forgot today's Parsha
The Rabbi just wants me to study all the time -
He doesn't know how hungry I am.
- You will laugh, I bet you,
You won't be such a bad guy.
I'll bet on one button and put four against.
You'll hold your sides and burst with laughter

When you see what I have here with me.
- And I'll remember the Rabbi's angry face
When he started to hear me out.
I still have many blue marks from his whip.
I wept tears from the pain.
-You'll laugh, you'll laugh
Give me the button already!
Look, Shloymele, what I have here for you!
A buttered roll and a fine herring head.
So tell me, Shloymele, who will laugh first?
A buttered roll and a fine herring head.
Tomorrow, I'll make a bet with you again.

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from the Yosl and Chana Mlotek collection, Workers' Circle, https://yiddishsongs.org/ver-der-ershter-vet-lakhn/

I, Avreml, will certainly not be the first to laugh, I bet you, no matter what jokes you tell. I’ll think of sad things, you can even tickle me.

You’ll laugh, I bet you, you’ll surely laugh, Shloymele. I have a way, a very clever way. Even if you think about the saddest things, you’II have to be the first to laugh.

First of all, Avreml, I’ll think about my poor weak father who keeps looking for work and can’t find any. Well? Will I feel like laughing?

You’ll laugh, I bet you, you’ll lose the bet, Shloymele. I have a way, a very clever way. I’ll meow like a cat and howl like a dog, and you’ll have to be the first to laugh.

Let me remind you that yesterday, in kheyder, I forgot the passage for the day. The rabbi only wants me to study all the time-he doesn’t know how hungry I am.

You’ll laugh, I bet you. You won’t be that mean. Bet a button, I’ll bet four. You’ll hold your sides and gasp with laughter when you see what I have here with me.

And I’ll remember the rabbi’s angry face when he started to quiz me. I’m still black and blue from his whip, and I cried bitter tears.

You’ll laugh, you’ll laugh, give me the button already. See, Shloymele, what I have here for you! A roll and butter and a fine herring head! Well, what do you say, Shloymele? Who will laugh first?

A roll and butter and a fine herring head? I’ll bet you again tomorrow!
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Chava Alberstein recording of Ver Der Ershter Vet Lakhn currently available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0Q5cFaynWw&t=1s>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z0Q5cFaynWw&t=1s