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Vi shayn vi likhtig iz in hoyz
Ven di mame iz du.
Vi troyerik biter vert
Ven got nemt ir oyf olam habo.
                                                            
How beautiful and full of light is the home
When mother is here
How gloomy and bitter it is
When God takes her to the next world.
      
N vaser in fayer - volt zi gelofen far ir kind
Nit haltn ir tayer, dos volt geven di greste zind
Oy vi gliklakh un raykh iz der mentsh vos hot
Az a sheyner matone geshenkt fun got
Nor an altichke yiddishe mame
Mamenyu mayn


A Yiddishe Mame (A Jewish Mother)    

By J.Y. Polack and J. Yellen

My Yiddishe mama - I miss her more than ever now.
My Yiddishe mama - I long to kiss her wrinkled brow.
I long to hold her hand once more as in days gone by
And ask her to forgive me for things I did that made her cry
                  
How few were her pleasures;
She never cared for fashion styles.
Her jewels and her treasures,
She found them in her babiesÕ smiles.
Oh I know that I owe all I am today
To that dear little lady whoÕs old and gray,
My wonderful Yiddishe mama
Ma-a-a-a-a-menyu mayn

(Dear mama of mine)
                  

    more complete English lyrics