Let’s Sing In Polish (and English)
Fellowship (drinking), soldier songs and lullaby
By Robert Strybel
Polish/Polonian Affairs writer
A while ago I presented the original Polish lyrics to a number of folk songs, wrongly assuming that most readers would understand the Polish. The feedback I got proved otherwise. Today we are dealing with third, fourth and fifth-generation PolAms who know only a smattering of Polish words. This time therefore English translations are provided. The songs have been translated to retain much of their original phrasing as well as the rhyme and rhythm needed to make them readily singable. Note: If you’re not familiar with all the melodies, check them out on YouTube.
Sto lat
Sto lat, sto lat niech żyje, żyje nam,
Sto lat, sto lat niech żyje, żyje nam,
Jeszcze raz, jeszcze raz, niech żyje, żyje nam,
Niech żyje nam!
A hundred years
Hundred years, hundred years,may he live a hundred years.
Hundred years, hundred years, may he live a hundred years.
Hundred years, hundred years, may he live a hundred years.
One hundred years!
Niech mu gwiazda pomyślności
(Traditional follow-up to “Sto lat”)
Niech mu gwiazda pomyślności nigdy nie zagaśnie.
Nigdy nie zagaśnie.
A kto zdrowia nie wypije niech pod stołem zaśnie,
A kto zdrowia nie wypije niech pod stołem zaśnie!
May the star of his good fortune
May the star of his good fortune shine forever more,
Shine forever more.
And who won’t drink to his health should end up on the floor.
And who won’t drink to his health should end up on the floor..
Sto lat, sto lat, sto lat, sto lat niechaj żyje nam
(Another follow-up to “Sto lat” to the melody of the
highlander song “Za górami, za lasami, za dolinami”)
Sto lat, sto lat, sto lat,sto lat niechaj żyje nam.
Sto lat, sto lat, sto lat,sto lat niechaj żyje nam.
Niech żyje nam, niech żyje nam
Sto lat, sto lat, sto lat,sto lat niechaj żyje nam!
Hundred, hundred, hundred may he live a hundred years
Hundred, hundred, hundred may he live a hundred years.
Hundred, hundred, hundred may he live a hundred years.
One hundred years, one hundred years.
Hundred, hundred, hundred may he live a hundred years.
Jak szybko mijają chwile
Jak szybko mijają chwile, jak szybko płynie czas,
Jak szybko mijają chwile, jak szybko płynie czas,
Za rok, za dzień, za chwilę razem nie będzie nas.
Za rok, za dzień, za chwilę razem nie będzie nas.
I nasze młode lata popłyną szybko w dal,
A w sercu pozostanie tęsknota, smutek, żal,
A w sercu pozostanie tęsknota, smutek, żal. .
Więc póki młode lata i te wiosenne sny,
Niechaj przynajmniej teraz z oczu nie płyną łzy,
Niechaj przynajmniej teraz z oczu nie płyną łzy,
How swiftly moments are passing,
How swiftly moments are passing, how swiftly time goes by.
A year, a day, a moment from now, we’ll not be here you or I,
A year, a day, a moment from now, we’ll not be here you or I,
So while we still are youthful and spring is drawing near,
At least for this brief moment my our eyes shed no tear,
At least for this brief moment my our eyes shed no tear.
Pije Kuba do Jakuba
Pije Kuba do Jakuba, Jakub do Michała,
Wiwat ty, wiwat ja, kompanija cała
A kto nie wypije, tego we dwa kije…
Łupu cupu, łupu cupu, tego we dwa kije.
Pili nasi pradziadowie, każdy wypił czarę,
Jednak głowy nie tracili, popijali w miarę.
Kto nad miarę pije, tego we dwa kije…
Łupu cupu, łupu cupu, tego we dwa kije
Indyk z sosem barszcz z bigosem jadły dawne pany
Dzisiaj raki i ślimaki jedzą jak bociany.
Kto żabami żyje. tego we dwa kije,
Łupu cupu, łupu cupu, niech po polsku żyje.
Jake drinks to our Jacob’s health
Jake drinks to our Jacob’s health and Jacob drinks to Michael.
Long live you, long live I, and our gang delightful.
Who won’t drink ’cause he’s abashed, with two sticks he should be thrashed.
Whack-slam thump-thud, whack-slam thump-thud, yes he should be thrashed..
Our great-granddads were well known for their beloved libation
But they never lost their heads, they drank in moderation.
Who drinks too much is abashed, with two sticks he should be thrashed.
Whack-slam thump-thud, whack-slam thump-thud, yes he should be thrashed.
Roasted turkey, barszcz and bigos ate the lords of yore.
Snails and crayfish they now munch just like a flock of storks.
Who on frogs feeds is abashed, with two sticks he should be thrashed.
Whack-slam thump-thud, whack-slam thump-thud, yes he should be thrashed.
Jak to na wojence ładnie
Jak to na wojence ładnie, jak to na wojence ładnie.
Kiedy ułan z konia spadnie, kiedy ułan z konia spadnie.
Koledzy go nie żalują, koledzy go nie żałują,
Jeszcze końmi potratują. jeszcze końmi potratują,
A za jego młode lata, a za jego młode lata,
Zagra trąbka: tra-ta-ta-ta, zagra trąbka: tra-ta-ta-ta.
A za jego trudy, znoje, a za jego trudy, znoje,
Wystrzelą mu trzy naboje, wystrzelą mu trzy naboje.
Śpij kolego w zimnym grobie, śpij kolego w zimnym grobie.
Niech się Polska przyśni tobie, niech się Polska przyśni tobie.
How nice it is amid such wars
How nice it is amid such wars, how nice it is amid such wars,
When a lancer falls off his horse, when a lancer falls off his horse.
Then his mates express no regret, then his mates express no regret,
And their horses trample him yet, and their horses trample him yet
In honor of his tender youth, in honor of his tender youth
A bugle’s playing:: toot-toot-toot-toot, a bugle’s playing:: toot-toot-toot-toot.
For his effort, toil and stress, for his effort, toil and stress
A three-gun salute’s all he gets, a three-gun salute’s all he gets.
A cold grave is your bed and bier, a cold grave is your bed and bier
May you dream of Poland so dear, may you dream of Poland so dear..
Aaa kotki dwa
(Kołysanka – lullaby)
Aaa, kotki dwa, szarobure obydwa,
Nic nie będą robiły, tylko ciebie bawiły.
Oo-oo kittens two
Oo-oo, kittens two, grayish-brown all through and through.
They’ve got nothing else to do, but to play with little you.
*******.