OY, A NAKHT A SHEYNE

OY, A NAKHT A SHEYNE	OH, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL NIGHT

Oy, a nakht a sheyne. Di nakht iz geven azoy sheyn. Oyf a benkele zaynen mie gezesn. Di levone hot genumen avekgeyn. Oyf a benkele zaynen mir gezesn. Mir hobn dort freylekh farbrakht. Vifil reyd mir hobn ayngetaynet, Kayn end hobn mir beyde nit gebrakht. Voszhe far an end, libe, vilstu Az kh'bin a ingele un muz tsum prizif geyn? Kayn khasene kenen mir nit makhn Dos kenstu aleyn gut farshteyn. Gib zhe mir dayn rekhte hentele Un shver mir tsu rz du host mikh emes lib. Shver mir az du vest mir nisht fargesn Bizn tog fun dem fintstern grib. Mayn rekhte hentele ken ikh dir nit gebn. Ikh shver dir tsu rz ikh hob dir emes lib. Ikh shver dir rz ikh vel dir nisht fargesn Biz tsum tog fun mayn fintstern grib!	Oh, what a beautiful night! That night was so beautiful. We sat on a bench. The moon began to fade away. We sat on a bench. We had a lovely time. We talked such a very long time. We were unable to settle anything. So, my beloved, what can we settle Since I am a young man and I must serve in the army? We cannot marry, You understand this yourself full well. Give me your right hand And swear that you truly love me. Swear that you will never forget me Until the very end - death. I cannot give you my right hand. I swear that I truly love you. I swear that I will never forget you Until the day of my death.


Folksong, first published in 1913 by D. EINHORN in DER PINKAS
Words and music published in 1927-28 by Y.L. CAHAN

Transliteration and translation by Mindle Crystel Gross of Boynton Beach, Florida USA