Mayn kind, mayn treyst, du forst avek Ze zay a zun a guter Dikh bet mit trern un mit shrek Dayn traye libe muter Du forst, mayn kind, mayn eyntsik kind, Ariber vayte yamen. Akh kum ahin nor frish gezunt Un nit farges dayn mamen. Yo! For gezunt un kum mit glik, Ze yede vokh a brivele shik, Dayn mames harts, mayn kind, derkvik
Refrain
A brivele der mamen Zolstu nit farzamen Shrayb geshvind, mayn lib kind Shenk ir di nekhome, Di mame vet dayn brivele lezn Un zi vet genezn Heylst ir shmerts, ir biter harts Derkvikst ir di neshome
Dos akhte yor, ikh bin aleyn Dos kind iz vayt farshvumen Dos kindersh harts iz hart vi a shteyn Kayn eyntsik briv bakumen Vi ken mayn kind nokh hobn mut? Vi geyt im ayn dos lebn Ez mus im geyn dort zeyer gut Vil er kayn nakhnikht gebn Kh'hob im geshikt a hundert briv, Un er hot nokh kayn shum bagrif, Az mayne shmertsn zenen zeyer tif.
Refrain
In shtot New York, a raykh hoyz Mit hertser, on gefiln Dort voynt ir zun er lebt gor groys Mit a gliklekhe familye A sheyne froy, un kinder tsvey Mit likhtike geshtaltn Un az er zitst un kvelt fun zey Hot er a briv derhaltn Dayn muter toyt! Es iz geshen, In lebn hostu ir farzen, Dos iz ir leste vuntsh geven A kidishl der mamen Zolstu nit farzamen Zog geshvind mayn lib kind Shenk ir di nekhome Di mame vet dayn kadishl hern In ir keyver gern Heylst ir shmertz ir biter harts Derkvikst ir di neshome
A letter to mother
My child, my comfort, you're going away Please be a good son With tears and trembling Your dear, faithful mother begs you You're going away my one and only child Across the distant seas Arrive there safely and in good health And don't forget your mother Yes, go in health and with good fortune And be sure to write a letter each week To delight your mother's heart
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A letter to your mother Don't delay Write soon, my beloved child, And give her solace Your mother will read your letter And she will be comforted You'll heal her pain and her aching heart And revive her spirits
Eight years now, I've been alone My child has wandered far away His childish heart is hard as stone I've not received a single letter How can he still have courage? How has life treated him? He must be well of And doesn't want me to know I've sent a hundred letters And he hasn't the slightest notion How deep my grief is
Refrain
In New York City, a wealthy home Full of hearts without pity There lives her child in luxury With his happy family A beautiful wife, two children With radiant faces And as he sits and beams with joy He receives a letter Your mother is dead! It has come to pass In life you neglected her This was her last wish Say Kaddish for your mother Don't delay Say it soon, my beloved child, And give her solace Your mother will hear your kadish In her grave gladly You'll heal her pain and her bitter heart And revive her spirits