The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #41967   Message #607713
Posted By: Mark Cohen
11-Dec-01 - 01:16 AM
Thread Name: Lyr Req: 'O Hanukkah' (Yiddish & Hebrew words)
Subject: Lyr add:CHANUKE, O CHANUKE (Hanukkah, O Hanukkah)
From Ruth Rubin's A Treasury of Jewish Folksongs:

CHANUKE, O CHANUKE!
Words: M. Rivesman
Tune: traditional Hasidic melody

Chanuke O Chanuke, a yontev a sheyner
A lustiger a freylicher, nito noch azoyner
Ale nacht in dreydl shpiln mir
Zudigheyse latkes esn mir

Geshvinder, tsindt kinder
Di dininke lichtelech on
Zogt "Al ha-nisim", loybt Got far di nisim
Un kumt gecher tantsn in kon!

Yehuda hot fartribn dem soyne, dem rotseyach
Un hot in Beys-hamikdesh gezungen "Lamatsneyach"
Di shtot Yerusholayim hot vider oyfgelebt
Un tsu a nayem lebn hot yederer geshtrebt

Deriber, dem giber
Yehuda Makabi loybt hoych!
Zol yeder bazunder, bazingen di vunder
Un libn dos folk zolt ir oych!

You have to play with the scansion a little to make it fit. Sorry, I don't know enough Yiddish to give you a literal translation. Ruth gives this "singable" (sort of!) translation, which is close to the original Yiddish but not nearly as good a song:

Chanukkah, O Chanukkah, O holiday so fair
So happy and so merry, there's none can compare
We spin the dreydl-top, every night
Red-hot pancakes do we eat.

Come children, we'll light
The thin, little candles you see
For the salvation of a grateful nation
Thank god, and dance merrily!

Maccabee defeated and cast out the cruel enemy
And in the Holy Temple sang songs of victory
The city of Jerusalem revived and grew
And everyone began to build his life anew

Come children, prepare for
A real tribute to the Maccabee
Let us all sing of the victory
And a people so brave and so free


Aloha,
Mark