The matchmaker brings me a match,
everyone is delighted with him.
But the groom is named Benyomin,
I don’t like that name,
oh, I don’t want to be his bride.
Oy vey, dear mother!
Why do you give me no rest,
I don’t want to marry
just anyone,
dear mother,
oy my dear mother!
The matchmaker brings me a match,
the writ of engagement is decided,
he is named Yankl, after his grandfather,
I can’t stand that name,
I don’t want such a bridegroom,
Oh, I don’t want such a bridegroom.
The matchmaker brings me a groom,
says he’s a real bigshot,
the poor guy’s called Shloyme-Zishe,
speaks only Yiddish. Feh! How embarrassing.
I don’t want such trouble,
Oh, I don’t want such trouble.
The matchmaker brings me a groom,
an exception, one of a kind,
he’s named Vladek, but there’s a problem,
Vladek’s mother is also named Sore,
Just like me, his bride –
Oh, she doesn’t want this bride.
Oy vey, dear mother!
God sent me someone,
there’s a problem,
my name is Sore,
woe is me, dear mother,
oy, my dear mother.
Brengt der shadkhn mir a shidekh,
Kveln fun im ale.
Heyst der khosn gor Benyomin,
Mir gefelt nisht aza nomen,
Kh’vil nisht zayn zayn kale,
Oy, kh’vil nisht zayn zayn kale.
Refrain:
Oy vey, mamenyu!
Far vos gistu mir keyn ru,
Kh’vil nisht nemen
Abi vemen,
Tayere mamenyu,
Oy, tayere mamenyu!
Brengt der shadkhn mir a shidekh,
Tnoyim shoyn bashlosn,
Heyst er Yankl nokh zayn zeydn,
Kh’ken dem nomen oykh nisht laydn,
Kh’vil nisht aza khosn,
Oy, kh’vil nisht aza khosn.
Brengt der shadkhn mir a khosn,
Zogt r’iz gor a srore,
Heyst er nebekh Shloyme-Zishe,
Redt nor yidish, fe, a bushe!
Kh’vil nisht aza tsore,
Oy, kh’vil nisht aza tsore.
Brengt der shadkhn mir a khosn,
An oysnam fun ale,
Heyst er Vladek, nor a tsore —
Vladeks mame heyst oykh Sore,
Punkt vi ikh zayn kale —
Oy, vi zi nisht di kale.
Refrain:
Oy vey, mamenyu,
Shikt shoyn got mir eynem tsu,
Treft a tsore,
Heys ikh Sore,
Vey mir, mamenyu,
Oy, tayere mamenyu.
ברענגט דער שדכן מיר אַ שידוך,
קװעלן פֿון אים אַלע,
הײסט דער חתן גאָר בנימין,
מיר געפֿעלט נישט אַזאַ נאָמען,
כ’װיל נישט זײַן זײַן כּלה,
אױ, כ’װיל נישט זײַן זײַן כּלה.
אױ װײ, מאַמעניו!
פֿאַר װאָס גיסטו מיר קײן רו,
כ’װיל נישט נעמען
אַבי װעמען,
טײַערע מאמעניו,
אוי, טײַערע מאמעניו!
ברענגט דער שדכן מיר אַ שידוך,
תּנאים שױן באַשלאָסן,
הײסט ער יאַנקל נאָך זײַן זײדן,
כ’קען דעם נאָמען אױך נישט לײַדן,
כ’װיל נישט אַזאַ חתן,
אױ, כ’װיל נישט אזא חתן.
ברענגט דער שדכן מיר אַ חתן,
זאָגט ר’איז גאָר אַ שׂררה,
הײסט ער נעבעך שלמה-זישע,
רעדט נאָר ייִדיש, פֿע, א בושה!
כ’װיל נישט אַזאַ צרה,
אױ, כ’װיל נישם אַזא צרה.
ברענגט דער שדכן מיר אַ חתן,
אַן אױסנאַם פֿון אַלע,
הײסט ער װלאַדעק, נאָר אַ צרה —
װלאַדעקס מאַמע הײסט אױך שׂרה
פּונקט װי איך, זײַן כּלה —
אױ, װיל זי נישט די כּלה,
אױ װײ, מאַמעניו,
שיקט שױן גאָט מיר אײנעם צו,
טרעפֿט אַ צרה,
הײס איך שׂרה,
װײ מיר, מאַמעניו,
אױ, טײַערע מאַמעניו.
Song Title: Kh’vil Nisht Aza Khosn
First published in 1972, Mir Trogn A Gezang: Favorite Yiddish Songs was reprinted six more times (in 1977, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000) due to popular demand. The songs in this anthology represent a sampling of beloved folk and well-known Yiddish songs, many of which are scattered in various song collections; some appear in very rare and inaccessible collections; and some were never before published. Folk songs comprise about a third of this volume and were selected mainly on the basis of popularity and sometimes for their historic significance. Needless to say, they are only representative of the vast, rich treasure of Yiddish folk material. The selection was made not only on the basis of personal preference, but in the knowledge they are favorites of many who sing these songs. Most of the songs represent the repertoire that was sung at Yiddish summer camps, May 1st demonstrations and at social gatherings. Many songs were introduced to American Jewry by Jewish immigrants who came to the United States after World War II, for whom these songs had been favorites in Poland and other East European communities destroyed by the Nazis.
