Sing-Along in Yiddish!

Klaybt zikh tsunoyf (Gather Together)

• Words and music by Michael Alpert, with one crowdsourced inclusivity tweak

Klaybt zikh tsunoyf mayne shvester un briderlekh,
Un lomir zikh freyen vos mir zingen lidelekh.
Genug shoyn tsu veynen mit hertser farvundete,
Vayl mir zaynen ale vi kroyvim farbundete.

Khotsh ikh bin gekumen tsu aykh fun der vayter velt,
Ir zayt mir ale fil tayerer nokh fun gelt.
To lomir zikh freyen biz in vaysn tog arayn,
Mit hartsike lider un mit fule flashkes vayn.

A lekhayim tsu makhn bay fraynt, oy, iz tayer-zis,
Az lider zey zingen zikh, tupn zikh mit di fis.
A koyse tsu makhn bay fremde iz ekhet gut,
Ober bay fraynt iz es zis vi bay eyg’ner blut.

A shnepsl tsu makhn ken zayn mamesh a genis,
Ober a lidl tsu zingen iz take zis.
To zingt-zhe shoyn mit, oy, khaverimlekh tayere,
Un fargest-zhe di zorgn un di tsores ayere.

In aza velt fun aveyres un blutikayt,
S’iz gring zikh tsu valgern fun emese tsiln vayt.
In aza velt a sakh mentshn farblondzhn zikh,
Amol ver ikh oykh azoy, biz vanet khap ikh zikh.

Az lebn in erlekhkayt iz nor in zikh gevent,
Un undzer frayhayt, oy, ligt in di eyg’ne hent.
To zingt nor dos lidl tsu, frayndelekh tay’rinke,
Un vert shoyn bamutikt in di hertser ay’rinke.

(English translation for information only)

Gather together, sisters and brothers,
And let us rejoice in singing our songs.
Enough crying with wounded hearts –
We’re bound together like family.

Though I’ve come from far across the world,
You are dearer to me than anything else,
So let’s celebrate ’til the break of day
With heartfelt songs and full bottles of wine.

To have a drink with friends is sweet and dear.
As we sing, our feet tap along.
Lifting a glass with strangers isn’t bad either,
But with friends it’s as sweet as with family.

Raising a glass can indeed be a pleasure,
But singing a song is truly sweet.
So sing along, dear friends,
And forget all cares and troubles.

In this world of wrongdoing and bloodshed,
It’s easy to stray far from one’s true goals.
In such a world, many people become lost.
I, too, sometimes, until I remember:

That living truthfully depends on each of us,
And our freedom lies in our own hands.
So join in this song, dearest friends,
And let your hearts take courage from it.