Translation of the song Di Shpanishe kholere artist Harry Boens
Di Shpanishe kholere
The Spanish Influenza
Ikh gey mir arim in strit fartrakht
I walk the streets deep in thought,
Say bay tug in say bay nakht.
Be it day, be it night.
In mayn hartzn kokht dus blit,
The blood is seething in my heart
Ze’endik vi mentshn faln in strit.
As I watch people collapsing in the street.
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Vayl di gantse velt iz yetst in trobl,
Because the whole world is now in trouble,
In yeder eyner zikht dem knobl.
And everyone is searching for garlic.
Mentshn zitsn in hoyz mit der neveyre,
Everyone is stuck at home with this plague,
Zey hobn moyre far der Shpanisher kholere.
They’re all afraid of the Spanish flu.
Nemt mayn edvays in seyft zikh fin dem trobl,
Take my advice and save yourself from trouble,
Trinkt a glezl vayn in est dem knobl.
Drink a glass of wine and eat some garlic.
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Der Daytsh iz oykh a groyser diplomat!
The Germans are some diplomats…
Er hot gevolt farnikhtn di velt vi a rats;
Seeking to destroy the world as if it were a rat;
Wilson hot ober genimen zikh di ere
But Wilson stepped right up
In geshikt dem Daytsh di Shpanishe kholere.
And sent the Germans the Spanish flu!
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Sobveys, kars, gepakt oykh fil mit mentshn;
Subways, cars, all packed with people;
Ikh bet bay dir, oy Got, di zolst indz bentshn!
I beg you, God, please bless us!
Nem fin indz oykh di neveyre
Remove the plague from us too,
In hit indz up fin der Shpanisher kholere.
And shield us from the Spanish flu.
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Barbers loyfn arim azoy vi di nyankes;
Barbers scurry about as if they were nurses,
Fin hoyz tsi hoyz shteln zey ayedn bankes.
From house to house, with cupping glass treatments;
Zey aleyn trugn arim di neveyre;
They themselves are carriers of the plague,
Zey danken Got es halt on di kholere!
Thanking God that the contagion perseveres!
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Mikh tsi hern zingen is nisht kayn vinder;
Don’t act surprised to hear me singing;
Mentshn, past nor oyf of ayere kinder.
Folks, just watch over your children.
Di froyen in Eyrope zenen geblibn vi ofn yakor,
The wives are all marooned in Europe
In di mener in Amerike brenen vi a flaker
While their husbands are ablaze in America
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