DER YIDDISH-VINKL December 24, 2004
On the occasion of his 95th yahrzeit, the page of the Forverts devoted to Pearls of Yiddish Poetry dedicated its space to Khaim Alexandrov (1869-1909). He was famous for two of his poems: “Comrades in Arms” and “May Song.”
What follows are transliterations of both poems (songs) by Goldie A. Gold and English versions by Gus Tyler.
May Lid
Vemens shtimen her ikh klingen?
Naye lider zol men zingen!
Al dos beyze iz farbay
Mit dem vinter kaltn, langn
Raykh in farbn raykh in klangen
Kumt tsu geyn der ershter May!
Vemens shtimen her ikh klingen?
Fraye lider zol men zingen
S’nemt a sof di shklaferay
Loyz di klangen, loyz di keytn…
Hel baputst mit frishe kveytn
Kumt tsu geyn der ershter May!
Vemens shtimen her ikh klingen?
Hoykh un munter zol men zingen!
Zol zikh trogn frank un fray
Undzer lid in ale ekn
Tsu a nayem lebn vekn
Kumt tsu geyn der ershter May!
May Song
What’s the voice that I hear ringing?
Newer songs we should be singing
The cold and wind have gone away.
The winter’s over, now it’s gone
Spring is here, and we’re reborn
Hurrah, hurrah, it’s first of May
What’s the voice that I hear ringing?
Songs of freedom we’re now singing
Slavery has lost its sway
Release your voice, release your chains
Let’s celebrate, we’re rid of pains
Because this is the first of May.
What’s the voice that I hear ringing?
High and happy comes the singing.
Let it brighten up the day
Let it reach to every corner
Let it drive off every scorner
Today, all cheers, it’s first of May!
* * *|
Alexandrov’s most famous song is…
Khaveyrim in Kamf
O, brider, liber, mir hobn geshlosn
Oyf lebn un toyt a farband
Mir shteyen in shlakht vi genosn,
Di fone di royte in hant.
Un treft dikh a koyl, mayn getrayer
A koyl fun dem soyne, dem hunt,
Ikh trog dikh aroys bald fun fayer
Un heyl dikh mit kushn dayn vund
Un bistu gefaln a toyter
Di oygn di libe farmakht,
Ikh vikl dikh ayn in der fone der royter
Un fal in der blutiker shlakht.
Comrades in Arms
My comrade, we both have concluded
By life and by death a resolve
In which there’s firmly included
A pact that will never dissolve.
Should a bad bullet e’er hit you
An enemy’s bullet, that beast
I will then rush to your rescue
And turn your pain down to its least.
Should death then end your pains
The final word be said
We’ll wrap your last remains
Within our flag of red.
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