I am not
Jewish and my knowledge of
Yiddish is pretty much limited to what I heard on the streets of New York City. However, I was surprised to see how easy it was to understand the verses of this song through
German cognates. To make it easier, I've given a line in Yiddish and then its translation in
bold
Di mame iz gegangen in mark arayn noch koyln,
My mother went to market to buy some coal,
Hot zi mir gebracht a meydale fun Poyln.
She brought me back a lovely girl from Poland.
Oy iz dos a meydale, a sheyns un a fayns,
Oh what a girl she was, how handsome and how fine,
Mit di shvatse eygalach, ketsale du mayns.
Ah, those black eyes of hers, ah, you kitten of mine.
Di mame iz gegangen in mark arayn noch kroyt,
My mother went to market to buy some cabbage,
Hot zi mir gebracht a meydale fun boyt.
She brought me back a handsome girl just off a coach.
Oy iz dos a meydale, a sheyns un a fayns,
She brought me back a handsome girl just off a coach.
Mitdi vayse tseyndelach, ketsale du mayns.
Ah, those white teeth of hers, ah, you kitten of mine.
Ich hob gegesn mandlen, ich hob getrunken vayn,
I have been eating almonds, I have been drinking wine,
Ich hob gelibt a meydale, un kon on ir nit zayn.
And I have loved a lass and could not part from her.
Oy iz dos a meydale, a sheyns un a fayns,
O what a lass she was, how lovely and how fine,
Mit di shvartse heralach, ketsale du mayns.
Ah, those black locks of hers, ah, you kitten of mine.