Vi azoy lebt der keyser? aka "How does the tsar drink tea?"
I just bought an amazing mp3 of Paul Robeson singing this song in quite good Yiddish. Nu?
Rabosay, rabosay, khakhomim on a breg, | Gentlemen, gentlemen, endlessly wise, |
Kh'vel aykh fregn, kh'vel aykh fregn, | I want to ask you a question. |
- Nu, freg zshe, freg zhe, freg, | - Nu, ask, ask, ask: |
Entfert ale oyf mayn shayle: | Everybody answer my question: |
Vi azoy trinkt der keyser tey? | How does the Csar drink tea? |
Me nemt a hitele tsuker, | You take a cylinder of sugar, |
Un me makht in dem a lekhele, | And carve a hole on the top, |
Un me gist arayn heyse vaser, | And into it you pour hot water |
Un me misht, un me misht ... | And then stir and stir. |
Oy, ot azoy, oy, ot azoy, | Oy, just like that, oy, just like that, |
Ot azoy trinkt der keyser tey! | That's how the Csar drinks tea. |
Rabosay, rabosay, khakhomim on a breg | Gentlemen, gentlemen, endlessly wise, |
Kh'vel aykh fregn, kh'vel aykh fregn. | I want to ask you a question. |
- Nu, freg zhe, freg zhe, freg. | - Nu, ask, ask, ask: |
Entfert ale oyf mayn shayle: | Everybody answer my question: |
Vi azoy est der keyser bulbes? | How does the Csar eat potatoes? |
Me nemt a fesele puter | You take a barrel of butter |
Un me shtelt avek dem keyser oyf der anderer zayt, | And you place it opposite the Csar |
Un a rote soldatn, mit harmatn, | And a company of soldiers, with cannons, |
Shisn di bulbes durkh der puter | Shoot the potatoes through the butter |
Dem keyser glaykh in moyl arayn ... | Straight into the Csar's mouth. |
Oy, ot azoy, oy, ot azoy, | Oy, just like that, oy, just like that, |
Ot azoy est der keyser bulbes! | That's how the Csar eats potatoes. |
Rabosay, rabosay, khakhomim on a breg, | Gentlemen, gentlemenn, endlessly wise, |
Kh'vel aykh fregn, kh'vel aykh fregn. | I want to ask you a question. |
- Nu, freg zhe, freg zhe, freg. | - Nu, ask, ask, ask: |
Entfert ale oyf mayn shayle: | Everybody answer my question: |
Vi azoy shloft der keyser bay nakht? | How does the Csar sleep at night? |
Me shit on a fuln kheyder mit federn, | You fill a room with feathers |
Un me khmalet ahin arayn dem keyser, | And you wham the Csar in, |
Un dray polk soldatn | And three regiments of soldiers |
Shteyen a gantse nakht un shrayen: | Stand all night and shout: |
Sha! Sha! Sha! | Shah! Shah! Shah! |
Oy, ot azoy, oy, ot azoy, | Oy, just like that, oy, just like that, |
Ot azoy shloft der keyser bay nakht! | That's how the Csar sleeps at night. |
Labels: yiddish
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