One of the many songs by the Yiddish poet and troubador, Itsik Manger (1911-1969), a variant of a melody by Simkhe Shvarts. This is an imaginative and playful song, expressing the depths of loneliness in allegorical images.
No one knows what I say,
no one knows what I want –
seven mice plus one more
are sleeping on the floor.
Seven mice plus one more
make, it would seem, eight –
So, I don my fedora
and say, “Good night.”
I don my fedora
and I head out walking.
Where does one go late at night,
all by himself?
There’s a bar in the middle of the market square
and it gestures to me; Hey, sucker!
I’ve got a barrel of wine,
a barrel of gold.
I flick the door open
and I fall in:
Happy Holiday to you all,
whoever you are!
No one knows what I am saying
no one knows what I want –
Two drunks plus a bottle
are sleeping on the floor.
Two drunks plus a bottle
make, it would seem, three,
to be a fourth one in the play,
does it pay? – not worth it.
I don my fedora
and I head out walking.
Where does one go late at night
all by himself?
Keyner veys nit vos ikh zog,
Keyner veys nit vos ikh vil —
Zibn mayzlekh mit a moyz
Shlofn oyfn dil.
Zibn mayzlekh mit a moyz
Zenen, dukht zikh, akht —
Tu ikh on dem kapelush
Un zog: a gute nakht.
Tu ikh on dem kapelush
Un ikh loz zikh geyn.
Vu zhe geyt men shpet bay nakht
Eyninker aleyn?
Shteyt a shenk in mitn mark,
Vinkt tsu mir: du yold!
Kh’hob a fesele mit vayn,
A fesele mit gold.
Efn shnel ikh oyf di tir
Un ikh fal arayn:
— A gut-yomtev ale aykh,
Ver ir zolt nisht zayn!
Keyner veys nit vos ikh zog,
Keyner veys nit vos ikh vil —
Tsvey shikurim mit a flash
Shlofn oyfn dil.
Tsvey shikurim mit a flash
Zenen, dukht zikh, dray,
Zayn a ferter do in shpil
Loynt zikh? — nit keday.
Tu ikh on dem kapelush
Un ikh loz zikh geyn.
Vu zhe geyt men shpet bay nakht
Eyninker aleyn?
קײנער װײס ניט װאָס איך זאָג,
קײנער װײס ניט װאָס איך װיל —
זיבן מײַזלעך מיט אַ מױז
שלאָפֿן אױפֿן דיל.
זיבן מײַזלעך מיט אַ מױז
זענען, דוכט זיך, אַכט —
טו איך אָן דעם קאַפּעלוש
און זאָג: — אַ גוטע נאַכט.
טו איך אַן דעם קאפּעלוש
און איך לאָז זיך גײן.
װוּ זשע גײט מען שפּעט בײַ נאַכט
אײנינקער אַלײן?
שטײט אַ שענק אין מיטן מאַרק,
װינקט צו מיר: — דו יאָלד!
כ’האָב אַ פֿעסעלע מיט װײַן,
אַ פֿעסעלע מיט גאָלד.
עפֿן שנעל איך אױף די טיר
און איך פֿאַל אַרײַן:
— אַ גוט יום-טובֿ אַלע אײַך,
װער איר זאָלט ניט זײַן!
קײנער װײס נים װאָס איך זאָג,
קײנער װײס ניט װאָס איך װיל —
צװײ שיכּורים מיט אַ פֿלאַש
שלאַפֿן אױפֿן דיל.
צװײ שיכּורים מיט אַ פֿלאַש
זענען, דוכט זיך, דרײַ,
זײַן אַ פֿערטער דאָ אין שפּיל
לױנט זיך? — ניט-כּדאַי.
טו איך אָן דעם קאַפּעלוש
און איך לאָז זיך גײן.
װוּ זשע גײט מען שפּעט בײַ נאַכט
אײנינקער אַלײן?
Song Title: Eynzam
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.