O Ir Kleyne Likhtelekh

O Ir Kleyne Likhtelech Folk Melody, Words: Morris Rosenfeld (1862- 1923)
arr. Lawrence E. Bennett
O ihr kleyne likhtelech,
Ir dertseylt geshikhtelech,
Mayselekh on a tsol.
Ir dertseylt fun blutikeyt
Beryeschaft un mutikeyt,
Vun der fun amol.
Ven ikh zeh aykh shminklendik
Kumt a kholem finklendik
Redt an alter troym!
Yid, du host gekrigt amol
Yid, du host gezigt amol
Got dos gleybt zikh koym!
S’iz bay dir a tolk geven,
Bist amol a folk geven,
Host a mol regirt,
Host a mol a land gehat
Host a mol a hant gehat!
Akh! Vi tif dos rirt!
O, ir kleyne likhtelekh,
Ayere geshikhtelekh
Vekn oyf mayn payn;
Tif in harts bavegt es zikh
Un mit trern fregt es zikh;
Vos vet itster zayn?
O you little candles,
You tell stories,
Tales without an end:
You tell of bloody battles,
Of skill and courage,
Wonders of the past!
When I see you glimmering,
a dream comes to me, twinklingly,
and this old dream reminds me:
"Jews, you once fought battles,
Jews, you once were victorious,"
it is hardly believable!...
"You were once a nation,
and you ruled a people,
you had a country,
and you were strong!"
Oh, how deeply I am stirred!
Oh, little candles!
your stories
arouse my anguish;
Deep in my heart something begins to stir
And I ask with tears in my eyes:
What will happen now?...