DER YIDDISH-VINKL April 29, 2005
Once again Al Grand returns to Der Vinkl with another of his Yiddish translations of the works of the Savoyards (Gilbert and Sullivan). Grand has been not only a translator, but also an actor who has performed in his own creations. Indeed his life has been so involved with the Savoyards that his e-mail address is [email protected].
What follows is a sequence taken from his translation of the Savoyards’ “The Pirates of Penzance” (“Di Yam Gazlonim”). As Grand describes it, the situation in the play is the following:
The Major-General’s daughters enter the scene, seeking a secluded spot for a picnic. Seeing that they are taking off their shoes to play in the water, Fayvl reveals himself to them, warning them that their picnic spot is a pirates’ lair. Though the daughters are frightened of Fayvl because he is a pirate, they are attracted to his youthful good looks. Fayvl tells them that he is about to leave the miserable band of pirates, and he proposes marriage to all of them at once in a song, “Oh, Is There Not One Maiden Breast?”
FREDERIC
Oh, is there not one maiden breast
Which does not feel the moral beauty
Of making worldly interest
Subordinate to sense of duty?
Who would not give up willingly
All matrimonial ambition
To rescue such a one as I
From his unfortunate position?
From his position
To rescue such a one as I
From his unfortunate position?
GIRLS
Alas, there’s not one maiden breast
Which seems to feel the moral beauty
Of making worldly interest
Subordinate to sense of duty!
FREDERIC
Oh is there not one maiden here
Whose homely face and bad complexion
Have caused all hope to disappear
Of ever wining man’s affection?
To such a one, if such there be
I swear by Heaven’s arch above you
If you will cast your eyes on me
However plain you be — I’ll love you
However plain you be
If you will cast your eyes on me
However plain you be — I’ll love you
I’ll love you, I’ll love, I’ll love you.
GIRLS
Alas there’s not one maiden here
Whose homely face and bad complexion
Have caused all hope to disappear
Of ever winning man’s affection?
Yiddish Version
FAYVEL
Avu is do a meydl sheyn
Vos hot oyf mir a kap rakhmones,
Un vet bald shenken mir aleyn
Ir gute harts un ir nemones
Tsi zayt ir gut vi zayt sheyn?
Dos ken men zen s’iz nit kayn frage,
Oy helft mir, lozt mikh nit aleyn,
Un ratevet mikh fun mayn lage,
Fun mayn troyeriker lage
Oy ra-te-vet un helft mir aroys
Fun mayn um-glik-er shverer lage.
MEYDLEKH
Es iz nito kayn meydl sheyn
Vos hot oyf dir kayn kap rakhmones.
Un vet bald shenken dir aleyn
It gute harts un ir nemones.
FAYVEL
Gefint zikh do a meydl fayn
Vos hot a zeyer mies ponim?
Un keyn mol vet kayn kale zayn,
(Aside to audience) Oy, trefn zol es mayne sonim!
Oyb du bist do — zog ikh tsu dir
Az ikh ken zayn far dir a khosn,
Oyb du vest kumen gikh tsu mir,
Iz mayn harts ofn nit farshlosn
Mayn harts geyt oys far dir.
Oyb du vest kumen gikh tsu mir
Bist nisht mies tsu mir, kh’vel li-ibn dikh-
Kh’vel li-I-ben dikh, kh’vil li-ibn dikh!
MEYDLEKH
Es iz nito kayn meydl fayn
Vos hot a zeyer mies ponim
Un keynmol vet kayn kale zayn
Oy trefn zol es undzere so-o-o-nim!
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we need 500 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Our Goal: 500 gifts during our Passover Pledge Drive!
