Fargeyen zey eyntsikvayz, shtile They fade away quietly, one by one

eynzam, in elnt in groyer lonely, in grey desolation

bagleyt zey der umet der trayer Sadness, their faithful companion

der eydeler tunkeler troyer escorted by dark, gentle Sorrow

 

ayngeshtilt vert zeyer nign Their melody slowly falls silent

der nign fun letste klezmorim the song of the last musicians;

farshotnte shteyen in vinklen in corners they stand.

vi alte matseyves – di sforim like tombstones ancestral – the volumes

                                                                         

s’vet ven a vanderer kumen Sometimes a wonderer enters

fun tuml-gemarkn a mider weary of noise and of bustle

un tsufaln vi tsu a heylung and as for a cure he pounces on

tsum eynzamen kval fun di lider the lonesome source of the melodies

                                                                           

un vakhn vet nokh vu a yingl And somewhere a boy will keep vigil

mit gloybike oygn, mit eyfer with eyes of faith, with zeal

un oyszingen vet er in benkshaft And he will sing out in longing

dem nign fun yidishn seifer the chant of the Yiddish book