Song written in the Lodz ghetto by Isaiah Shpigl. Music is by David Beigelman (see note about author and composer in Makh Tsu Di Eygelekh).
There are no raisins and no almonds,
Your father’s not trading, home not coming.
Lu, lu, lu, my son,
Lu, lu, lu, my son.
He has left us, gone away,
To the world’s end, who can say-
Lu, lu, lu, my son,
Lu lu, lu, my son.
Owls are screeching, the wild wolves bay,
God will pity us, I pray.
Lu, lu, lu, my son,
Lu. lu, lu, my son.
He’s standing somewhere keeping watch,
Almonds, raisins, oh so much.
Lu. lu, lu, my son,
Lu, lu, lu, my son.
There’s no doubt that he will come
Back to you, my darling one.
Lu, lu, lu, my son,
Lu, lu, lu, my son.
Nit keyn rozhinkes un nit keyn mandlen,
Der tate iz nit geforn handlen,
Lyulinke mayn zun,
Lyulinke mayn zun.
Er hot farlozt undz un avek,
Vu di velt hot nor an ek,
Lyulinke mayn zun,
Lyulinke mayn zun.
S’shrayen soves, s’voyen velf,
Got, derbarem zikh un helf,
Lyulinke mayn zun,
Lyulinke mayn zun.
Ergets shteyt er un er vakht,
Mandlen, rozhinkes a sakh,
Lyulinke mayn zun,
Lyulinke mayn zun.
Kumen s’vet af zikher shoyn,
Zen dikh, kind, mayn eynstik kroyn,
Lyulinke mayn zun,
Lyulinke mayn zun.
ניט קײן ראָזשינקעס און ניט קײן מאַנדלען,
דער טאַטע איז ניט געפֿאָרן האַנדלען,
לולינקע מײַן זון,
לולינקע מײַן זון.
ער האָט פֿאַרלאָזט אונדז און אַװעק,
װוּ די װעלט האָט נאָר אַן עק,
לולינקע מײַן זון,
לולינקע מײַן זון.
ס׳שרײַען סאָװעס, ס׳װאָיען װעלף,
גאָט, דערבאַרעם זיך און העלף,
לולינקע מײַן זון,
לולינקע מײַן זון.
ערגעץ שטײט ער און ער װאַכט,
מאַנדלען, ראָזשינקעס אַ סך,
לולינקע מײַן זון,
לולינקע מײַן זון.
קומען ר׳װעט אױף זיכער שױן,
זען דיך, קינד, מײַן אײנציק קרױן,
לולינקע מײַן זון,
לולינקע מין זון.
Song Title: Nit Keyn Rozhinkes, Nit Keyn Mandlen
Compiled by sisters Malke Gottleib and Chana Mlotek, this collection of 40 songs, issued on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, reflects the suffering, despair, longing, as well as the strength, hope and courage that led the last remnant of enfeebled Jews to take up arms against the mammoth Nazi war-machine. Save for five songs, this compilation comprises songs that were actually written or sung in the ghettos and concentration camps. Four exceptions written after the war: “Babi Yar,” “Moyshelekh un Shloymelekh,” “Kadish,” and “Mayn mame hot gevolt zayn oyf mayn khasene” are often presented at commemorative gatherings and were therefore included. The fifth song “Am Yisroel Khay” was written in a D.P. camp and is an affirmation of the will of the survivors to build new lives for themselves, holding high their belief in the endurance of the Jewish people. To enable readers and singers not conversant with the Yiddish alphabet to utilize this collection, We Are Here! Songs of the Holocaust provides parallel transliterations and singable English translations by Roslyn Bresnick Perry.
