Gelibt hob ikh a sheyn meydele fin der shtut Berlin
Iz zi gefurn iberfreygn tsi ir futer in Vien
Fur ikh mir aroys amul azoy di velt oystsikikn
Flit arup a sheyner foygl en tit mayn harts derkvikn
Nisht azoy di sheynkeyt vi dus hoykhe flien
A brivele hot er mir arintergevorfn tsi shtamt es oys fin Berlin?

Ikh nem dus brivele in der hant arayn in fang ikh un tsi leyenen
Plitsling falt af mir a shtarke moyre, fang ikh un tsi veynen
Farvus zol ikh nit veynen azoy vi nukh a korbn
Mayn tayere kale vos ikh hob gehat, mayn sheyn meydl iz geshtorbn

Once I did love a pretty girl, down in old Berlin
But she took off to her old man, to talk it out with him
I went out to see the world, I traveled round and round
High above a pretty bird dropped a letter to the ground
I took the letter in my hand & fearfully I read
My darling girl is gone away & all my love is dead
So brothers, do not play at love, five years just left me yearning
And forget about the pretty girls, they’re only good for burning

Kimt aher libe brider, in kayn libes nit tsi kenen
Tsizamennemen ale sheyne meydelakh en afn fayer zey farbrenen
Tsi farbrenen afn fayer biz af di kleyne koyln
Finef yur a libe tsi shpiln nisht amul tsi kenen poyln
Gelibt hob ikh a sheyn meydele fin der shtut Berlin...