A Brivele Der Mamen A Little Letter to Mama by Solomon Shmulewitz
.
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 brivel shik
Dayn mames harts, mayn kind, derkvik
.
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 shmarts, ir biter harts,
Derkvikst ir di neshome
.
Dos akhte yor ikh bin aleyn
Dos kind iz vayt farshvumen
Dos kindersh harts iz hart vi shteyn
Keyn eyntsik briv bakumen
Vi ken mayn kind nokh hobn mut?
Vi geyt im ayn dos lebn?
Es muz im geyn dort zeyer gut
Vil er keyn nakhrikht gebn
Kh’hob im geshikt a hundert briv
Un er hot nokh keyn shum bagrif
Az mayne shmartsn zenen zeyer tif
.
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 shmarts, ir biter harts,
Derkvikst ir di neshome
.
In shtot New York, a raykher hoyz
Mit hertser on gefiln
Dort voynt ir zun, er lebt gor groyz
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 letste vuntsh geven:
.
A kadishl der mamen, zolstu nit farzamen
Zog geshvind, mayn lib kind, shenk ir di nekhome
Di mame vet dayn kadish hern
In ir keyver gern
Heylst ir shmarts, ir biter harts,
Derkvikst ir di neshome
1 My child, my comfort, you’re going away
Stay a good son
Asking you, with tears and with fear,
Is your dear, beloved mother
You’re going, my son, my only child
Across far seas
Arrive lively and healthy
And don’t forget your mother
Yes, go in health and arrive in happiness
Every week, send a letter
Your mother’s heart, my child, revive
.
A little letter to Mama, don’t delay
Write quickly, my beloved child, send her comfort
Mama will read your little letter, and she will feel better
Heal her pain, her bitter heart
Revive her soul
.
2 Eight years I’ve been alone
My child has sailed far away
A child’s heart is hard as stone
Not a single letter have I received
How can my child find strength?
How is life going for him?
Things must be looking very good
Since he doesn’t want to give [me] any attention
I’ve sent him a hundred letters
And he has no awareness
That my pain is so deep
.
A little letter to Mama, don’t delay
Write quickly, my beloved child, send her comfort
Mama will read your little letter, and she will feel better
Heal her pain, her bitter heart
Revive her soul
.
3 In the city of New York, a rich house
With hearts without feeling
There lives her son, he’s living it up
With a happy family
A lovely wife and two children, with radiant faces
And as he sits and kvells with joy and pride in them
He receives a letter:
Your mother is dead, it’s happened
In life you overlooked her.
This was her last wish:
.
A kaddish prayer for Mama, don’t delay
Say it quickly, my dear child, send her comfort
Your Mama will hear your kaddish
In her grave
Heal her pain, her bitter heart
revive her soul