Am
A kalte nakht a nepldike finster umetum,
               A            A7            Dm
shteyt a yingele fartroyert un kukt zikh arum.

Fun regn shitst im nor a vant,
    E7
a koshikl halt er in hant,
    F7        E7          Am
un zayne oygn betn yedn shtum.


Am
Ikh hob shoyn nit keyn koyekh mer arumtsugeyn in gaz,
         A           A7           Dm
hungerig unopgerizn fun dem regn naz.

Ikh shlep arum zikh fun baginen,
E7
keyner git nisht tsu fardinen,
F7         E7             Am
ale lakhn, makhn fun mir shpaz.

[Chrous]
Am
Kupitye koyft she, koyft she papirosn,
A            A7          Dm
trukene fun regn nisht fargozn.

Koyft she bilik benemones,
E7
koyft un hot oyf mir rakhmones,
F7           E7           Am
ratevet fun hunger mikh atsind.

Kupitye koyft she shvebelakh antikn,
  A                 A7        Dm
dermit vert ir a yosiml derkvikn.

Umzizt mayn shrayen un mayn loyfn,
E7
keyner vil bay mir nit koyfn,
F7               E7        Am
oysgeyn vel ikh muzn vi a hunt.

[Verse 2]
Am
Mayn tate in milkhome hot farloyrn zayne hent,
     A              A7                     Dm
mayn mame hot di tsores mer oyshaltn nisht gekent.

Yung in keyver zi getribn,
E7
bin ikh oyf der velt farblibn,
F7            E7          Am
ungliklekh un el'nt vi a shteyn.
Am
Breklekh klayb ikh oyf tsum ezn oyf dem kaltn mark,
   A              A7                      Dm
a harte bank iz mayn geleger in dem kaltn park.

In dertsu di politziantn,
E7
shlog mikh shvern kantn,
F7               E7         Am
z'helft nit mayn betn, mayn geveyn.

[Chrous]
Am
Kupitye koyft she, koyft she papirosn,
A            A7          Dm
trukene fun regn nisht fargozn.

Koyft she bilik benemones,
E7
koyft un hot oyf mir rakhmones,
F7           E7           Am
ratevet fun hunger mikh atsind.

Kupitye koyft she shvebelakh antikn,
  A                 A7        Dm
dermit vert ir a yosiml derkvikn.

Umzizt mayn shrayen un mayn loyfn,
E7
keyner vil bay mir nit koyfn,
F7               E7        Am
oysgeyn vel ikh muzn vi a hunt.

[Verse 3]
Am
Ikh hob gehat a shvesterl, a kind fun der natur,
    A             A7                           Dm
mit mir tsusamen zikh geshlept hot zi a gantsn yor.

Mit ir geven iz mir fil gringer,
E7
laykhter vern flegt der hunger,
F7              E7              Am
ven ikh fleg a kuk ton nor oyf ir.

Mit amol gevorn iz zi shvakh un zeyer krank,
     A             A7                     Dm
oyf mayne hent iz zi geshtorbn oyf a gazn-bank.

Un az ikh hob zi farloyrn,
E7
hob ikh alts ongevoyrn,
F7                 E7              Am
zol der toyt shoyn kumen oykh tsu mir.

[Chorus]
Am
Kupitye koyft she, koyft she papirosn,
A            A7          Dm
trukene fun regn nisht fargozn.

Koyft she bilik benemones,
E7
koyft un hot oyf mir rakhmones,
F7           E7           Am
ratevet fun hunger mikh atsind.

Kupitye koyft she shvebelakh antikn,
  A                 A7        Dm
dermit vert ir a yosiml derkvikn.

Umzizt mayn shrayen un mayn loyfn,
E7
keyner vil bay mir nit koyfn,
F7               E7        Am
oysgeyn vel ikh muzn vi a hunt.

[Translation]
N.C.
The night is cold, and all around is dark;
N.C.
A boy stands there and looks around;
N.C.
Only a wall protects him from the rain.
N.C.
In his hand is a little tray,
N.C.
And his eyes beckon everyone who goes by.
N.C.
I no longer have the strength left
N.C.
To walk about the streets;
N.C.
I'm hungry, disheveled and wet from the rain.
N.C.
I shlep around from the day's beginning;
N.C.
Nobody wants to do business with me.
N.C.
They all laugh and make fun of me
N.C.
Come buy some cigarettes!
N.C.
They're dry, the rain did not get to them.
N.C.
They're real cheap, it's true;
N.C.
Buy them and have pity on me;
N.C.
Save me from hunger...
N.C.
Come buy these matches, the best of any,
N.C.
And you'll help a poor orphan.
N.C.
Forgive me my shouting and rambling;
N.C.
Nobody buys anything from me,
N.C.
And so I'll perish like a dog.
N.C.
My father lost his hands in the war;
N.C.
My mother couldn't bear it anymore;
N.C.
She went to her grave still young
N.C.
And I was left in this world,
N.C.
Alone and unhappy like a stone.
N.C.
I gather up crumbs in the cold marketplace;
N.C.
My bed is a hard bench in the cold park;
N.C.
The police beat me with their sticks
N.C.
And do not heed my cries.
N.C.
I had a little sister, a child of nature she was;
N.C.
We were always together, traveling for a whole year.
N.C.
With her I was happy, and when I could look at her,
N.C.
It was easier to bear hunger and my troubles.
N.C.
Then she grew weak and ill
N.C.
And she died in my arms on a street bench.
N.C.
When I lost her, I lost everything.
N.C.
May death soon take me too.