Harbstlid, or Autumn Song, was written by Beyle Schaechter Gottseman.
It is a poem about aging and it resonates for me as I post it now now in August, 2023. Here are three versions:
1. Harbstlid Sung by Di Schechter Techter
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJZ-kKN610I
Words & Melody: Beyle Schaechter-Gottesman (1920-2013) Musical arrangement and Piano accompaniment: Binyumen Schaechter, Musical Director Performed with an English refrain interwoven. Back-up vocals: Binyumen Schaechter, Musical Director 2. This one was recorded live on April 28, 2013 in Pittsburgh, PA at the 15th Conference of the International Association of Yiddish Clubs / IAYC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybctXd20_tk
it has English subtitles.
Harbstlid is a poem about aging and it resonates for me as I post it now now in August, 2023.
3. Harbstlid Sung by Daniel Kahn:
https://genius.com/Daniel-kahn-harbstlid-lyrics
Ze s’iz harbst, Un vos gegrint fargelt, farvyanetZe s’iz harbst, Un vos geblit fargeyt
Un ikh vos kh'hob gemeynt S’iz shtendik friling
Un kh'halt in hant Di gantse eybikeyt
Oho, falndike bleter! Oho, fliyendike teg!
Oho, vi vel ikh itster blondzhen
Ven s’ligt gedikhter nepl Af mayn veg
Krakn feygl, zogn troyerik: Krekhst in fentster
Un se klogt der vint
„o, vi volt ikh itst avek fun danen
Tsun a breg Vu nokh der friling grint...“
Flit der regn - A galop af vildn ferdl
Roymt mir ayn a sod: Er hot mikh holt
„tsu vos-zhe darftsu Vartn afn friling
Az s’hot der osyen fule koyshns gold.“
English: A rather loose and very incomplete translation.
Autumn’s here
And what was green is gold & withered
Autumn's here, the summer's at an end
I thought somehow that it would last forever
I thought I held forever in my hand
Oh, all the leaves are falling
Oh, the summer days are gone
Oh, the fog is in the valley
So how am I to know the road I’m on?
Birds are headed south outside my window
And the wind lets out a high & lonesome sigh
It whispers how it wishes it were somewhere
Far away where summer fills the sky
Oh, all the leaves are falling
Oh, the days all slip away
Oh, the fog is in the valley
How can November ever turn to May?
###
Here is how I might render this in Englsh --
See, it's autumn, and what is green and has become gold,
See, it's autumn, and what blooms is gone.
And I believed it's always spring,
And held in my hand all eternity.
Oh falling leaves,
Oh fleeing days,
Oh, how will I wander,
When a deep fog lies in my way.
The birds caw in my window, and the wind rattles,
Oh, how I would like to be gone from here,
To a shore of green spring!
The rain flies - a gallop of wild horses,
And whispers a secret:
Why do you wait for springtime
When there are baskets full of gold?
Oh falling leaves,
Oh fleeing days,
Oh, how will I wander,
When a deep fog lies in my way.
###
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