ROZHINKES MIT MANDLEN / RAISINS AND ALMONDS

This is a Yiddish lullaby which appears in many Jewish songbooks.

My sources include:
1. Let's Sing a Yiddish Song; Kinderbuch Publications, 1133 Broadway, New York, N. Y. 10010
2. The New Jewish Song Book, compiled & edited by Harry Coopersmith; Behrman House, Inc., 235 Watchung Ave., West Orange, N.J. 07052
3. Manginot - 201 Songs for Jewish Schools, Stephen Richards, Ed.; Transcontinental Music Publications - New Jewish Music Press - available on-line at http://uahc.org/transmp/
4. Songs NFTY Sings - North American Federation of Temple Youth, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 838 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10021
[ The first three have words and music, the fourth has words only ].
[ Where transliterations differed, I used the ones from Let's Sing a Yiddish Song ].


Words and music: Abraham Goldfaden

Singable English words: F. Minkoff [ from The New Jewish Song Book ]


In dem Beys Hamikdosh,
In a vinkl kheyder,
Zitst di almone Bas-Tsiyon aleyn
Ir ben-yokhidl Yidele
Vigt zi keseyder,
Un zingt im tsum shlofn
A lidele sheyn, a, a, a, a.

Unter Yidele's vigele,
Shteyt a klor vays tsigele,
Dos tsigele is geforn handlen,
Dos vet zayn dayn baruf,
Rozhinkes mit mandlen,
Shlof zhe, yidele, shlof.


Singable translation, from The New Jewish Song Book:

Alone in a corner when night is descending,
Sits a young widow with sorrowful eyes.
She cradles her babe with patience unending,
And soothes him to sleep with her sweet lullabies.

There's a wee little goat so snowy white,
Who will come to your cradle in the night,
With roses, raisins and almonds,
For my baby to keep;
Roses, raisins and almonds,
For my baby to sleep.


Non-singable translation, from Let's Sing a Yiddish Song:

In the Temple
Alone in a far corner,
Sits the widow, Bas Zion,
Rocking her only son, Yiddel,
And lulls him to sleep
With a little song, a, a, a, a.

Under the little one's cradle
There's a little white goat;
The little goat went trading,
That will be your calling,
Raisins and almonds,
Sleep, little one, sleep.


Comments from The New Jewish Song Book:
In Eastern Europe the goat provided a primary source of food (milk and butter) and also served as a pet for the children; it was therefore often endowed with imaginary, human qualities. Rozhinkes mit Mandlen (raisins and almonds) were considered food delicacies.


[The following chord notation follows the system that is used in the Rise Up Singing songbook.]

Cm - Gm Cm / Gm - D7 G / Eflat - - - / - Cm Gmaj7 Cm / - - - - /
Cm Fm Gm - / - Fm Cm - / G Cm - - / F - Cm - / G Cm - - / G - Cm - [from Let's Sing a Yiddish Song]

Dm - Am Dm / Am - E7 Am / F - B F / - - A Dm /
Dm Gm Dm - / / A - Dm - / Gm - Dm - / A - Dm - / / [from The New Jewish Songbook]

Am - Em Am / Em - B7 Em / C - F C / - - E Am /
Am Dm Am - / / E - Am - / Dm - Am - / E - Am - / / [my transposition, from The New Jewish Song Book chords]

Em - Bm Em / Bm - F7 Bm / G - C G / - - B Em /
Em Am Em - / / B - Em - / Am - Em - / B - Em - / / [my transposition, from The New Jewish Song Book chords]

[ Submitted by RS ]