Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday, Saturday, Sunday – bulbes!

Zuntik – bulbes! Montik – bulbes!
Dinstik un mitvokh – bulbes!
Donershtik un fraytik – bulbes!
Shabes in a novene – a bulbe kugele!
Zuntik – vayter bulbes!

Such is the plight of our country,
There is no kitchen without a potato,
For when a man natters
A potato, a potato or a pyre,
Whether it’s Shabbat, Sunday, or St.-Friday,
This is the meal’s beginning.

Broyt mit bulbes! Fleysh mit bulbes!
Varme un vershere – bulbes!
Ober un vider – bulbes!
Eyn mol in a novene – a bulbe-kugele!
Zuntik – vayter bulbes!

When hard times come,
Potatoes without a covering
They stay on the table by themselves,
Those who have them rejoice,
Because for a poor Jew and a poor Gentile
They are a refuge of strength for work.

Zuntik – bulbes! Montik – bulbes!
Dinstik un mitvokh – bulbes!
Donershtik un fraytik – bulbes!
Shabes in a novene – a bulbe kugele!
Zuntik – vayter bulbes!

Play, klezmer band!
Friends make merry!
I was so lucky,
That I fell in love,
As if in a fantastic dream!
The rhythm of the klezmer band
The guests will cheer and dare –
They will shout: Bitter!
And my kind Yochko
Will kiss me!

Already the white veil is being carried,
Already the young couple is being asked,
To be willing to walk among the line,
And then a tiny sip
Kosher pure vodka
And you can already enter the new life….

Joszko grabbed me in half,
Then carried me in his arms
Amidst the amused guests.
Suddenly he jumped on the table
And the song of love sounded…
Oy, oy! We still can’t stay alone!
Oy, oy! Though the legs begin to faint!
All life ahead –
Difficult as this bottle dance…
One must be in harmony with the Torah
In dance and in daily life
Balance to be had!

Play klezmer band!
Friends make merry!
They open their souls,
But the hats
Are still on their heads!
The rhythm of the klezmer band
Will cheer and embolden the guests!
They no longer count the hours
Old or young,
But they shake their shoes!

Mazel tov!

When Yahweh created the Earth and the Heavens,
Heaven was bare. The Earth was barefoot.
He clothed the Heavens in blue. He clothed the Earth in black.
So that her eternity is never wounded by the thorns of time.

Heaven and Earth on Day One the Lord created!
But he was still all alone in this world….

When Yahweh created the flame and the water,
They wanted to make an eternal agreement with each other.
But God separated the fire from the law.
So that every earthly element would lead a separate life.

Fire and water on Day Two the Lord created!
But in this world he was still all alone….

When Yahweh created forests and pastures,
Their height was uniformly low.
However, the trees were made to grow by the good Lord,
So that everyone could recognize their natural state.

The trees and grasses on the Third Day the Lord created.
But in this world he was still all alone….

When Yahweh created the moon and the sun,
Day and night each light shone.
But to them the wise creator gave separate time,
So that each destiny in God’s world would know.

The sun and the moon on Day Four were created by the Lord!
But he was still all alone in this world….

When Yahweh created the diversity of animals,
He gave them wonderful colors, limberness and gentleness.
But some themselves showed their fangs,
So that it is always known who is good and who is evil.

Animals of kinds on Day Five the Lord created!
But he was still all alone in this world….

When Yahweh finally created man as well,
He felt tired, sleep made Him short.
But He was immediately awakened by Lucifer’s laughter,
For in the Garden of Eden man had fallen into mortal sin.

Ungrateful people on Day Six the Lord created!
But he was still all alone in this world….

Yahweh wanted to take a breather from all work
And that’s where the Shabbat tradition came from –
The Seventh Day is celebrated after mitzvah days,
So that Satan’s laughter would not sound in tired human dreams.

The Feast of the Sabbath on the Seventh Day the Lord created!
With the dance and singing of Jehovah, let us praise the plan!

He used to come to weddings with klezmer
Wagabunda, which task he had
To entertain guests with jokes, songs –
Jewish people called him badchan.

The most famous – Hershel Ostropoler –
Although he was the grandson of Baal Shem,
He kept falling into trouble and misery,
Despite his fame, he lived in great poverty.

Hershel warred with joy!
And his weapons were laughter and singing!
So the simple people gave him love,
But in the rulers he aroused anger!

Baruch quipped: Give me back my money!
I will give to each according to his needs!
Badchan replied: I will take a census of the poor!
You rich men persuade, rabi, yourself!

When the thieves broke into the house,
Poor badchan did not even get angry,
He just sighed: If we search together,
Maybe we’ll find something here sooner!

Hershel warred with joy!
And his weapons were laughter and singing!
So the simple people gave him love,
But in the rulers he aroused anger!

Ostropoler the artist was happy,
Because he understood the meaning of the smallest of roles,
That in an evil and unjust world
The actor is the ruler, and the spectator is the king!

Hershel warred with joy!
And his weapons were laughter and singing!
So the simple people gave him love,
But in the rulers he aroused anger!

Purim! Ad – lo – yada!
Purim! Ad – lo – yada!

Among all the joyful holidays
The Feast of Fate is the call of spring.
Purim is a carnival of children and adults,
Full of laughter and colorful garments.

When we dance and sing,
Wrongs and cares we don’t remember!
The Name of God Almighty we praise –
Protector of our nests and flocks!

On Purim, wine is the thing to drink!
Ad – lo – yada! Ad – lo – yada!
Behold the fourteenth day, behold the month of adar!
Let’s wish each other many good years!

On Purim the jeremiad is quiet!
Ad – lo – yada! Ad – lo – yada!
Only that which is good in our memory,
As a trace of God’s Presence!

Purim! Ad – lo – yada!
Purim! Ad – lo – yada!

From the splendor of the spring sun
One can rejoice endlessly.
Purim knocks the gloomy days off the calendar,
To make meanness less than treachery.

When we dance and sing,
Wrongs and cares we don’t remember!
The Name of God Almighty we praise –
Protector of our nests and flocks!

On Purim the jeremiad is quiet!
Ad – lo – yada! Ad – lo – yada!
Only that which is good in our memory,
As a trace of God’s Presence!

The day you were born you don’t remember.
Death is a sacred mystery.
Youth is blessed and cursed.
Old age is a peaceful world without dates.

God is laughing in Heaven
Because to Him the world’s history
They will decorate with thousands of colors
Wandering playwrights
Clowns and players
Tuners of mines and harps

A magician from the east will tell
That it was the Angels
They fell before time moved
Singers and poets
Want to soar above the abyss
Start all over again

Spells are needed
For Heaven’s favor
To flow
Like inspiration
For this tribe
Desires it like bread

Lord give inspiration
For this poor tribe
Desires it more than bread

Here is the holy magic:
Te gladi vos gladias
Trea nomine sancto –
In “grimorium verum” – albrot
Et abracadabra
Et jehova elico

Hey klezmers
God firmly believes in you
Sing
In heaven’s name
Under the heavens
To us the world belongs

Play in unison
Shout to the Heavens
Now the world belongs to us

Magic and science
Mean less than art –
A fiery sword protects it
Therefore, forever and ever
Will last in man
Regret that words are fragile

God rejoices in Heaven
For He has made Him laugh again
Artists crowd circus booths –
Wandering tricksters
Clowns and players –
These are His chosen people

Rose already has less and less time –
She longs for her youth,
She is surprised that from her lush beauty
Only the fragrance is left to her

Flowers wilting
On hot nights
They smell deadly beautiful,
Till the Angel of emotion kneels –
Delightful…
Disturbing…

Someday there may come a time,
That one of us will be missing
And therefore always kiss me
Tightly as the last time

Flowers wilting
On hot nights
They smell deadly beautiful,
Till the Angel of emotion kneels –
Delightful…
Disturbing…

Rose already has less and less time….

What does the clock ma-ko maszme-lon whisper to us?
Prayers or Kabbalah?
What secret words are hidden
In the perfect mechanism?
Only the old clock knows the name,
What Angel of Time has –
The names of forgotten years and days:
Chaim, Moshe, Aron, Oszer, Leib,
Baruch, Nachum, Zelik, Ber,
Izi, Rachel, Naftali…

What name will you give me?

What does the ma-ko maszme-lon clock whisper to us?
Prayers or Kabbalah?
What secret words are hidden
In the perfect mechanism?

Only the old clock knows the name,
What the Angel of Time has –
A name as poor as a widow’s penny:
Sholem, Bin, Pejsach, Elchanam,
Jechiel, Motel, Abraham,
Shifra, Miriam, Jeheyosh…

I will collect names full basket!

What does the ma-ko maszme-lon clock whisper to us?
Prayers or Kabbalah?
What secret words are hidden
In the perfect mechanism?

Only the old clock knows the name,
What the Angel of Time has –
The name that great silence sounds:
Icyk, Beynish, David, Elijah, Shem,
Yeshayahu, Menachem,
Ethel, Sara, Mani, Tzvi.

These names give me!