Mayerke, my son | Mayerke, my son, oh Mayerke, my son

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from Volkslieder (Folksongs)

Translation © by Laura Prichard

Mejerke, main Suhn

Language: Multiple Languages

Our translations: ENG

Mejerke, main Suhn,
Mejerke, main Suhn, oi Mejerke, main Suhn,
Zi weiss tu, var wemen du steihst?
"Lifnei Melech Malchei hamlochim," Tatunju.

Mejerke, main Suhn,
Mejerke, main Suhn, oi Mejerke, main Suhn,
Wos ze westu bai Ihm bet'n?
"Bonej, chajei, M'sunei," Tatunju.

Mejerke, main Suhn,
Mejerke, main Suhn, oi Mejerke, main Suhn,
Oif wos darfs tu Bonei?
"Bonim eiskim batoiroh," Tatunju.

Mejerke, main Suhn,
Mejerke, main Suhn, oi Mejerke, main Suhn,
Oif wos darfs tu chajei?
"Kol chai joiducho," Tatunju.

Note: this text is in transliterated Yiddish, Aramaic, and Hebew.

Text Authorship:

from Volkslieder (Folksongs) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

by Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937), "Mejerke, main Suhn", M. A. 17 no. 4 (1910) [ voice and piano ], from Quatre chanson populaires, no. 4, also set in French (Français) [sung text checked 1 time]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in French (Français), a translation from Volkslieder (Folksongs) ; composed by Maurice Ravel.
- Go to the text.

Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Mayerke, my son", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Barbara Miller

This text was added to the website: 2004-05-06
Line count: 16
Word count: 80

Mayerke, my son

Language: English after the Multiple Languages

"Mayerke, my son, oh Mayerke, my son,
Do you know before whom do you stand?"
"BEFORE THE KING OF THE KING OF KINGS, father dear."

"Mayerke, my son, oh Mayerke, my son,
And what will you ask of him?"
"CHILDREN, LIFE, AND SUSTENANCE, father dear."

"Mayerke, my son, oh Mayerke, my son,
For what do you need children?"
"CHILDREN STUDY THE TORAH, father dear."

"Mayerke, my son, oh Mayerke, my son,
For what do you need life?"
"ALL LIFE SHALL PRAISE HIM, father dear."

"Mayerke, my son, oh Mayerke, my son,
But you also want some bread?"
"YOU SHALL EAT, AND BE SATISFIED AND BLESS THE LORD YOUR GOD, father dear.

Translator's note: the Aramaic & Hebrew phrases are in capital letters
Stanza 1, line 3: "Tateniu" is Yiddish for "father dear" and "Tateniu-Foter" means "God, our Father." The suffix -niu or -nju indicates endearment or intimacy.
Stanza 5, line 3: the text is from DEUTERONOMY 8:10

Text Authorship:

Translation from Multiple Languages to English copyright © 2013 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in Multiple Languages from Volkslieder (Folksongs)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2013-06-28
Line count: 15
Word count: 111