YANKELE
(Mordecai Gebirtig)

Shlofzhe mir shoyn, Yankele, mayn sheyner,
Di Eygelekh, di shvartsinke makh tsu,
A yingele vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh,
Muz nokh di mame zingen ay-lyu-lyu?

A yingele, vos hot shoyn ale tseyndelekh,
Un vert mit mazl bald in kheyder geyn,
Un lernen vet er khumesh un gemoro,
Un veynen ven di mame vigt im ayn?

A yingele, vos lernen vet gemoro,
Ot shteyt der tate, kvelt un hert zikh tsu,
A yingele vos vakst talmid khokhem
Lozt gantse nekht der mamen nisht tsuru?

A yingele, vos vakst a talmid khokhem,
Un a geniter sokher oykh tsuglaykh,
A yingele, a kluger khosen bokhur,
Zol lign azoy nas vi in a taykh‘?

Nu shlof-zhe mir, mayn kluger khosen bokhur,
Dervayl ligstu in vigele bai mir.
S'vet kostn nokh fil mi un mames trern
Bizvanen s'vet a mentsh aroys fun dir.


From The Mordechai Gibirtig Songbook, edited and arranged by Velvel Pasternak (Tara Publications, 1998, pp 14-15)

"Yankele" · Esther Bluwol · Raphaele Lannadere: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtSKcniBoj4