The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #170217   Message #4140902
Posted By: Felipa
01-May-22 - 06:34 PM
Thread Name: ADD: Songs of Mordecai Gebirtig (1877-1942)
Subject: Lyr Add: Glokn Klang! (M. Gebirtig 1877-1942)
GLOCKEN KLANG - Mordechai Gebirtig

Klingen di glokn, glin glang, glin glang, vi s'volt ver...
Can anyone add the Yiddish lyrics to this discussion???

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/song/tolling-bells includes a recording with singer Daniel Kempen, and a translation to English. It does not give the lyrics in Yiddish. Here is the introduction from the enclyclopedia:

"Yiddish folk poet and songwriter Mordecai Gebirtig was born in Krakow, Poland, in 1877.

"In 1940, he was forced to flee from German-occupied Krakow to nearby Lagiewniki. There, in October 1941, he wrote 'Tolling Bells'—in which he envisions the end of persecution and occupation."

Translation (English) by Dr. Bret Werb*

The bells are tolling --
Gling Glong!
Gling Glong!
Like someone were asking:
How long, now? How long?
How long, now? How long?
Will man be a beast?
Will man be so shameless?
Will man be a mere tool
In the hands of the Devil?
How long, now? How long?
How long shall he reign?

The bells are tolling --
Gling Glong!
Gling Glong!
Like someone were answering:
Not long, now! Not long!
Not long, now! Not long!
Will the Devil make merry --
To him we owe thanks
That the world is on fire --
Gling Glong! Gling Glong!
Not long, now! Not long!
His downfall will come!

* Dr Werb of the US Holocaust Memorial Museum is credited with translation by The Oxford Handbook of Musical Repatriation.

Translation (French, Francais)

Les cloches résonnent --
Ding Dong !
Ding Dong !
Comme si quelqu'un demandait :
Combien de temps encore, maintenant ? Combien de temps ?
Combien de temps encore, maintenant ? Combien de temps ?
L'homme sera-t-il une bête ?
L'homme sera-t-il à ce point sans vergogne ?
L'homme sera-t-il un simple instrument
Entre les mains du Diable ?
Combien de temps encore, maintenant ? Combien de temps ?
Combien de temps régnera-t-il ?

Les cloches résonnent --
Ding Dong !
Ding Dong !
Comme si quelqu'un répondait :
Plus très longtemps, maintenant ! Plus très longtemps !
Plus très longtemps, maintenant ! Plus très longtemps !
Le Diable ne s'amusera --
C'est à lui que nous devons
L'incendie qui dévore le monde --
Ding Dong !
Ding Dong !
Plus très longtemps, maintenant ! Plus très longtemps !
Sa déchéance viendra !

Glokn Klang is one of 12 Gebertig songs recorded by Benjy Fox-Rosen on the album Two Worlds/Tsvey Beltn https://benjyfoxrosen.bandcamp.com/album/two-worlds-tsvey-veltn