Yiddishe Mame (Jewish Mother)

I’d like to ask of you a question, tell me who knows.

With which dear possession does God bless everyone?

It can't be bought for money, it’s given only for free.

And when it is lost, how many tears are shed?

A second is given nobody, no cry can help.

Oy, he who has lost it, he already knows what I mean.

A Jewish mother, she makes the whole world sweet.

A Jewish mother, how bitter life is when she is not there.

You must thank God that she is still with you.

How sad we are when she passes away too soon.

She would go through fire and water for her child.
It is the worst of sins not to hold her precious.
Happy and rich is the man who has got
this beautiful gift of God, his old Jewish mother.

YIDDISH:

Ikh vil bay aykh a kashe freygen,

zog mir ver es ken

Mit velkhe tayere farmeygens

bentsht got ale men?

Men koyft dos nit fir kayne gelt,

dos git men nokh umzist

Un dokh az men farlirt dos,

oy vi trern men fargist

A tzveyter git men kaynem nit,

es helft nit kayn geveyn

Oy, ver es hot farloyrn,

der vays shoyn vos ikh meyn.

A yidishe mame, Zi makht

dokh zis di gantze velt,

A yidishe mame,

Oy vey, vi bitter, ven zi felt,

Vi sheyn un likhtig iz in hoys

Ven di mame's du,

Vi troyrig finster vert, Ven Gott

neymt ihr oyf Oylem HaBo

In vaser un fayer

Vilt zi gelofn far yikh kind.

Nit haltn ir tayer,

Dos iz gevis di greste zind.

Oy vi gliklekh un raykh

Iz der mensh, vos hot

Aza sheyne matune

geshenkt fun Got,

Aza altitshke yidishe mame,

Mame mayn!