Tumbalalaika

Shtayt a bocher un er tracht, Tracht un tracht die gantze nacht

 

Vemen tzu nemen un nit farshemen, Vemen tzu nemen un nit farshemen.

Chorus:

Tumbala, tumbala, tumbala-lai-ka.

 

Tumbala tumbala, tumbala-lai-ka

 

Tumbala lai-ka shpiel balalaika,

 

Tumbala-lai-ka, fraylach zol zain.

 

 

Maydl, maydl, 'chvel bai dir fregn, Vos ken vaksn, vaksn on regn,

Vos ken brenen un nit oifhern, Vos ken benken, vaynen on trern.

 

Narishe bocher, vos darfst du fregn,

A shtayn ken vaksn, vaksn on regn,

A liebe ken brenen un nit oifhern,

A hartz ken benken, vaynen on trern.

 

Literal Translation.

A youth worries all night long about whether he can overcome his shyness

enough to find himself a girl.

 

(The youth speaks:) "Maiden, I would ask you: What can grow without rain;

what can burn without burning itself out; and what can cry without tears?"

 

(The maiden replies:) "Foolish boy, how can you be so stupid? A stone

(implying nothing) can grow without rain; love can burn without burning itself

out; and a heart can cry without tears."

 

* Tumbalalaika is a Russian Jewish folk and love song in the Yiddish language. “Tum” is the Yiddish word

for noise and a balalaika is a stringed musical instrument of Russian origin. www.wikipedia.org.