Old King Cole - in Yiddish

In Yiddish

In 1927, Moshe Nadir (1885-1943) published his Yiddish version, "Der Rebe Elimeylekh." It has since become an incredibly popular Yiddish folksong.

Yiddish text

Az der Rebe Elimeylekh

Iz gevorn zeyer freylekh,

(Iz gevorn zeyer freylekh, Elimeylekh,)

Hot er oysgeton di tfilin

Un hot ongeton di briln

Un geshikt nokh di fidlers di tsvey.

Un di fidldike fidlers

Hobn fidldik gefidlt.

Hobn fidldik gefildt hobn zey!

(x2)

Az der Rebe Elimeylekh

Iz gevorn mer nokh freylekh,

Iz gevorn mer nokh freylekh, Elimeylekh,

Hot er opgemakht havdole

Mitn shames Reb Naftole

Un geshikt nokh di payklers di tsvey.

Un di paykeldike payklers

Hobn paykeldik gepaykelt.

Hobn paykeldik gepaykelt hobn zey!

(x2)

Az der Rebe Elimeylekh

Iz gevorn GOR SHTARK freylekh,

Iz gevorn gor shtark freylekh Elimeylekh,

Hot er oysgeton dos kitl

Un hot ongeton dos hitl

Un geshikt nokh di tsimblers di tsvey.

Un di tsimbeldika tsimblers

Hobn tsimbeldik getsimbelt.

Hobn tsimbeldik getsimbelt hobn zey!

(x2)

English translation

When Rabbi Elimelekh

Became happy,

(Became happy, Elimelekh)

He took off his tefillen

And he put on his glasses

And he sent for his two fiddlers.

And the fiddledika fiddlers

Fiddledika fiddled!

Oh, they fiddledika fiddled!

(x2)

When Rabbi Elimelekh

Became even happier,

(Became even happier, Elimelekh)

He made Havdalah

With his assistant, Reb Natfali

And he sent for his two drummers.

And the drummerdika drummers

Drummerdika drummed!

Oh, they drummerdika drummed!

(x2)

When Rabbi Elimelekh

Became OVERWHELMINGLY happy,

(Became overwhelmingly happy, Elimelekh!)

He took off his clothes,

And he put on his little hat,

And he sent for his two cymbalists.

And the cymbaldika cymbalists

Cymbaldika cymbaled!

Oh, they cymbaldike cymbaled!

(x2)

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