NIGN

Poet: L. Magister [Leibush Lehrer] (1887–1965)

iz a kabtsn amol gevezn,
flegt er nor mit got zikh krign.
vunder iber vunder hot mit im getrofn, 
ven er hot gezungen ot aza min nign:
tshiri-bim, bam, bam! ...

hot fun nign zikh vayn gegosn, 
hot er zup nokh zup geshlungen,
vunder iber vunder hot mit im getrofn,
ven er hot gezungen, ot aza min nign:
tshiri-bim, bam, bam! ...

zingt der yid un s’gist mesikes,
iz er azsh fun freyd [bad word] 
vunder iber vunder hot mit im getrofn,
ven er hot gezungen, ot aza min nign:
tshiri-bim, bam, bam! ...

There was once a pauper,
Who only with God would quarrel.
Wonder upon wonder befell him,
Whenever he sang this sort of nign [melody]: 
Tshiri-bim bam bam ...

Wine flowed from the nign, 
And he swallowed sip after sip. 
Wonder upon wonder befell him, 
Whenever he sang this sort of nign:
Tshiri-bim bam bam ...

The Jew sings, and blissfulness flows 
Until he leaps from joy. 
Wonder upon wonder befell him, 
Whenever he sang this sort of nign:
Tshiri-bim bam bam ...