Composed by MAURICE RAVEL and BOWERS for TROIS CHANTS HEBRAIQUES ( Three Hebrew Songs )
78 RPM circa 1921


- Meyerke, mayn zun (x3) - Meyerke, my son,
Tsi veystu ver du bist? (x2) Do you know who you are?
- Hineni he'ani mima'as, tatenyu. (x3) - "Here I am, impoverished of deeds", Father
- Meyerke, mayn zun (x3) - Meyerke, my son (x3)
Tsi veystu far vemen du shteyst? (x2) Do you know Whom you stand before?
- Lifnei melech mal'chei ham'lachim, tatenyu. - "Before the King, King of Kings", Father.
- Meyerke, mayn zun (x3) - Meyerke, my son (x3)
Vos vilstu oysbetn bay im? (x2) What do you wish to ask of Him? (x2)
- Banai chayai mezoni *, tatenyu. - "My children, my life, my sustenance * ", Father.

- Meyerke, mayn zun (x3) - Meyerke, my son (x3)
Tsu vos darfstu banai? (x2) Why do you need sons? (x2)
- Banim oskim batorah, tatenyu. - "Sons are devoted to the Torah", Father.
- Meyerke, mayn zun (x3) - Meyerke, my son (x3)
Tsu vos darfstu chayai? (x2) Why do you need life (x2)
- Kol hachayim yoducha, tatenyu. "Everything alive will gratefully acknowledge You", Father
- Meyerke, mayn zun (x3) - Meyerke, my son (x3)
Tsu vos darfstu mezoni? (x2) Why do you need sustenance? (x2)
- Ve'achalta vesavata uverachta, tatenyu. - "And you shall eat, and you shall be satisfied, and you shall bless", Father.
* The father asks questions in Yiddish, and the son replies in Hebrew, quoting religious scriptures. In particular, the son asks for "banai, chayai, mezoni" [sons, life and sustenance] - Talmud, Mo'ed Katan, 28a -