Merci aux divers traducteurs : Chantal Ringuet, Pierre Anctil, Rivka Augenfeld (à terminer)

Ida Maze (1893-1962)

Vi blimelekh in regn
(Like flowers in the rain / Comme des petites fleurs sous la pluie)
Yiddish
English
Humble is my little house,
its roof is very old,
but my children grow within,
children strong and bold.

Rain falls softly in the street,
the damp invades my home,
and my children run outdoors,
to play, jump and roam.

A little rain falls in the street,
it comes to entertain.
And I see my children grow,
Like flowers in the rain    
Yiddish (translit)
Orim iz mayn shtibele,
Mit an altn dakh,
Vaksn in im kinderlakh
Kleyninke a sakh.

Geyt in gas a regndl,
Vert in shtibl nas--
Loyfn mayne kinderlakh
Shpiln zikh in gas.

Geyt in gas a regndl,
Geyt er zey antkegn--
Vaksn mayne kinderlakh
Vi blimelekh in regn.

Français
Humble est ma demeure,
Avec sa toiture défraichie
Et mes enfants y grandissent
Si petits.

Une douce bruine emplit la rue
Et son odeur envahit la maison
Mes enfants courent à sa rencontre
Et s’égayent dans la rue

Une douce bruine emplit la rue
et emplit mes enfants de joie.
Mes enfants, qui poussent
Comme des fleurs sous la pluie.

Rokhl (rachel) korn

Fun Yener Zayt Lid
(On the other side of the poem / De l'autre côté du poème)
Yiddish (translit)
Fun yener zayt lid iz a sod faran
Un in sod iz a hoyz mit a shtroyenem dakh
Es shteyen dray sosnes un shvaygn zikh oys
Dray shomrem oyf shtendiker vakh.

Fun yener zayt lid iz a foygl faran
A foygl broyn-gel mit a roytlekher brust
Er kumt dort tsu fliyen yedn vinter oyf s’nay
Un hengt, vi a knosp oyf dem naketn kust

Fun yener zayt lid iz a stezhke faran
Azoy shmol un sharf, vi der din-dinster shnit
Un emets, vos hot zikh farblondzhet in tsayt
Geyt dort um mit shtile un borvese trit

Fun yener zayt lid kenen vunder geshen
Nokh haynt, in a tog, vos iz khmarne un gro
Ven er doyfekt arayn in dem gloz fun der shoyb
Di tsefiberte benkshaft fun a vundiker sho.

Fun yener zayt lid ken mayn mame aroys
Un shteyn oyf der shvel a vayle fartrakht
Un mikh rufn aheym, vi a mol, vi a mol
Genug zikh geshpilt shoyn, du zest nisht? S’iz nakht.    
English
On the other side of the poem there is an orchard,
and in the orchard, a house with a roof of straw,
and three pine trees,
three watchmen who never speak, standing guard.

On the other side of the poem there is a bird,
yellow brown with a red breast,
and every winter he returns
and hangs like a bud in the naked bush.

On the other side of the poem there is a path
as thin as a hairline cut,
and someone lost in time
is treading the path barefoot, without a sound

On the other side of the poem amazing things may happen,
even on this overcast day,
this wounded hour
that breathes its fevered longing in the windowpane

On the other side of the poem my mother may appear
and stand in the doorway for a while lost in thought
and then call me home as she used to call me home long ago
Enough play, Rokhl. Don't you see it's night?    
Français
Fun yener zayt lid iz a sod faran
Un in sod iz a hoyz mit a shtroyenem dakh
Es shteyen dray sosnes un shvaygn zikh oys
Dray shomrem oyf shtendiker vakh.

Fun yener zayt lid iz a foygl faran
A foygl broyn-gel mit a roytlekher brust
Er kumt dort tsu fliyen yedn vinter oyf s’nay
Un hengt, vi a knosp oyf dem naketn kust

Fun yener zayt lid iz a stezhke faran
Azoy shmol un sharf, vi der din-dinster shnit
Un emets, vos hot zikh farblondzhet in tsayt
Geyt dort um mit shtile un borvese trit

Fun yener zayt lid kenen vunder geshen
Nokh haynt, in a tog, vos iz khmarne un gro
Ven er doyfekt arayn in dem gloz fun der shoyb
Di tsefiberte benkshaft fun a vundiker sho.

Fun yener zayt lid ken mayn mame aroys
Un shteyn oyf der shvel a vayle fartrakht
Un mikh rufn aheym, vi a mol, vi a mol
Genug zikh geshpilt shoyn, du zest nisht? S’iz nakht.    

Jacob isaac segal ()

Vundershtot
(City of Wonder / Ville merveilleuse)
Yiddish (translit)
O ! Vundershtot ! Du flakerst oyf
Fun frayen morgn
Fartumlst un farshturemst
Dayne eybike zorgn.

Tsudrayst zikh azoy rizig-shver
In dayne krayzn,
Du varfst zikh um mit flam un likht,
Un shpayst mit ayzn !

O ! Vundershtot ! O tsoybershtot !
Du flam, du bunter.
Farbrenst di teg oyf koyl un varfst
Zey rosh arunter !

O ! Vundershtot ! O tsoybershtot ! Du flam, du bunter  
English
Oh, city of wonder! You rise in flames
In the early morning hours,
You deafen and overwhelm
Your constant worries.

You turn so heavily
In your circular motion,
You throw yourself about with fire and light,
And spit out iron sparks!

Oh city of wonder! Oh city of magic!
You multicoloured flame,
You burn the days for coal and throw
Them down head first!

Oh, City of wonder! Oh city of magic!
You multicoloured bright flame!    
Français
Ô ville merveilleuse ! Tu t’embrases
À l’aube naissante
Ton activité perpétuelle
Trouble et va s’intensifiant.

Tu te révèles immense
À travers tes quartiers.
Enflammée et baignant de lueurs, tu t’agites,
Te nourrissant d’acier !

Ô ville merveilleuse ! Ville magique !
Tu craches le feu, tu revêts toutes les couleurs.
Tu consumes les jours telles des masses de charbon
Pour les rejeter au loin avec fracas !

Ô ville merveilleuse ! Ville magique !
Tu craches le feu, tu revêts toutes les couleurs.