Folk song, text and music published in 1938 by M. Beregovski and I. Feffer. Textual variant published in 1923 by S. Bastomski.
My dear Mekhuteneste, faithful Mekhuteneste,
oh, let us be in-laws forever.
I’m giving you my daughter as a daughter-in-law,
may she never fall out of favor with you.
My dear Makhuteneste, faithful Makhuteneste,
don’t wake my child up early in the morning,
and if you should see a fault in her,
may you overlook it as if you were her own mother.
My dear Makhuteneste, faithful Makhuteneste,
We shed our blood in bearing children,
and if you should see how much your son loves your daughter-in-law,
do not, Heaven forbid, be annoyed by it.
My dear Makhuteneste, faithful Makhuteneste,
my daughter comes to you in a wig*,
and if you turn out to be a torment, an evil mother-in-law,
[you should know] my daughter is also a piece of work!
Makhuteneste. The mother of your child’s fiancé(e) or spouse.
* ”. . .in a wig”. That is, a grown, married woman.
Mekhuteneste mayne, mekhuteneste getraye,
Oy, lomir zayn oyf eybik mekhutonim,
lkh gib aykh avek mayn tokhter far a shnur,
Zi zol bay aykh nit onvern dos ponim.
Mekhuteneste mayne, mekhuteneste getraye,
Mayn kind zolt ir in der fri nit vekn,
Un tomer vet ir zen an avle oyf mayn kind,
Vi an eygene mame zolt ir dos fardekn.
Mekhuteneste mayne, mekhuteneste getraye,
Oyf kinder hobn tut men blut fargisn,
Un tomer vet ir zen az der zun hot lib di shnur,
Zol es aykh kholile nit fardrisn.
Mekhuteneste mayne, mekhuteneste getraye,
Mayn tokhter fort tsu aykh in a parikl,
Un tomer vet ir zayn a shlak, a beyze shviger,
lz mayn tokhter oykhet an antikl!
מחותנתטע מײַנע, מחותּנתטע געטרײַע,
אױ, לאָמיר זײַן אױף אײביק מחותּנים,
איך גיב אײַך אַװעק מײַן טאָכטער פֿאַר אַ שנור
זי זאָל בײַ אײַך ניט אָנװערן דאָס פּנים.
מחותנתטע מײַנע, מחותּנתטע געטרײַע,
מײַן קינד זאָלט איר אין דער פֿרי ניט װעקן,
און טאַמער װעט איר זען אַן עװלה אױף מײַן קינד,
װי אַן אײגענע מאַמע זאָלט איר דאָס פֿאַרדעקן.
מחותנתטע מײַנע, מחותנתטע געטרײַע,
אױף קינדער האָבן טוט מען בלוט פֿאַרגיסן,
און טאָמער װעט איר זען אַז דער זון האָט ליב די שנור,
זאָל עס אײַך חלילה ניט פֿאַרדריסן.
מחותנתטע מײַנע, מחותּנתטע געטרײַע,
מײַן טאָכטער פֿאָרט צו אײַך אין א פּאַריקל,
און טאָמער װעט איר זײַן א שלאַק, אַ בײזע שװיגער,
איז מײַן טאָכטער אױכעט אַן אַנטיקל!
Song Title: Mekhuteneste Mayne
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.
