Markovtshizne
Lid Fun Bialystoker Geto Song From the Bialystok Ghetto
lyrics H. Goldshtayn
lyrics and music based on Gasn Zinger by Peysekhke Burstein
Tango Yona’s source: Songs of Generations:New Pearls of Yiddish Song, Eleanor and Joseph Mlotek
translated by Jane Enkin and Justin Jaron Lewis
| Verse 1
A Markovtshizner bin ikh dos veys ikh gut borves mit nakete fis ikh farkil mayn blut “Farflukhter” shrayt men oyf mir Dos harts tut mir vey Elnt farblibn, fun heymat fartribn yetst shtey ikh un veyn Refrain Arbet! Flaysik! Makh es ober bald! Fun Meshl dem Geln bakumstu dayn gehalt A hintish lebn, on inhalt un on tsil Markovtshizne, a troyerike shpil! Verse 2 Di tfise mayn eyntsike heym a shreklekhe nest Klep un geshreyen un khazershe kest Gants fri bay der arbet un shpet tsurik aheym un eyner fregt dem tsveytn: vos vet fun undz zayn? Refrain Arbet! Flaysik! Makh es ober bald! Fun Meshl dem Geln bakumstu dayn gehalt A hintish lebn, on inhalt un on tsil Markovtshizne, a troyerike shpil! Verse 3 Far ale eyn goyrl far ale eyn shtrebn Azoy vi brider darfn mir lebn Ober ven es hungert eyn bruder dayn gevisn iz vu? Troyerik iz Markovtshizne nokh derstu Refrain Arbet! Flaysik! Makh es ober bald! Fun Meshl dem Geln bakumstu dayn gehalt A hintish lebn, on inhalt un on tsil Markovtshizne, a troyerike shpil! |
Verse 1
I’m from Markovtshizne and don’t I know it Barefoot, with naked feet my blood is chilled “Cursed!” they yell at me My heart aches Remaining alone, driven from home now I stand and cry Refrain: “Work! Hard! But make it quick! From Meshl the Redhead comes your pay” A dog’s life, without meaning, without purpose Markovtshizne, a sad game. Verse 2 The prison my only home, a rotten nest Blows and yelling and food fit for pigs Early to work and late back home And each one asks the other, “What will become of us?” Refrain “Work! Hard! But make it quick! From Meshl the Redhead comes your pay” A dog’s life, without meaning, without purpose Markovtshizne, a sad game. Verse 3 For all one destiny, for all one striving Like brothers we must live But when one brother is hungry Where’s your conscience? Sad is Markovtshizne and what next? Refrain “Work! Hard! But make it quick! From Meshl the Redhead comes your pay” A dog’s life, without meaning, without purpose Markovtshizne, a sad game. |
Tango Yona 