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Yiddish Mind Games

People loved to use Yiddish to play all kinds of mind games. In some cases, rather than wish someone a physical illness, they preferred to wish they go crazy, to get them out of their way—using phrases like “A meshugener zol men oyshrabn, un im arayn shrabn. ” – “They should free a madman, and lock him up.” (A me-shug-en-er zol men oy-shrab-en, un im a-rhine shrab-en.)

Other times, words of Yiddish wisdom expressed things a mother thought everyone should ponder. “A kluger vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.” – “A wise man knows what he says, a fool says what he knows.” (A klug-er vaist vos er zogt, a nar zogt vos er vaist.)

But even better ... for those who have been fool enough to piss off their rabbi (religious leader), “Az men krigt zich mitn rov, muz men sholem zeyn mitn shainker.” “If you’re at odds with your rabbi, make peace with your bartender.” (Az men krigt zich mit-en rov, muz men shol-en zyen mit-en shaink-er.)

Here are some variations on how to wish someone crazy, talk about fools, find fools talking about themselves or just some words of Yiddish wisdom for the mind:

Wishing someone crazy

May you go crazy and run around the streets – Meshugeh zolstu vern un orumloyfn iber dee gasn (Me-shug-eh zols-tu vern un o-rum-loyf-en i-ber dee gas-en).

 

Go drive yourself crazy – Fardray zich dayn aygenem kop (Far-dray zich dayn ay-gen-em).

 

Go mix yourself up, not me – Gai fardray zich dayn aigenem kop (Gay far-dray zich dayn ay-gen-em).

 

May I not lose anything more than your head – Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit onvern (Mer vi dayn kop zol id nit on-vern).

 

May illness strike your brain – A chvarobe dir in dee gehern (A chvar-ob-e dir in dee ge-her-en).

 

You’re nuts – Bist meshugeh (Bist me-shug-eh).

 

You’re nuts – Bist tsedrayt (Bist tse-drayt).

 

Are you crazy – Tsi bistu meshugeh (Tsi-bis-tu me-shug-eh)?

Talking about fools ... or fools talking

When the head is a fool, the whole body can go to hell – Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gantser guf in der erd (Az der kop iz a nar, ligt der gants-er guf in der erd).

 

He who keeps quiet is half a fool; he who talks is a complete fool – Az me shvaygt iz men a halber nar; az me redt iz men a gantser nar (Az me shvagt iz men a halb-er nar; az me redt iz men a gants-er nar).

 

If you repeat often enough that you’re right, you will discover you are wrong – Az men chazert tsu fil iber vi grecht men iz, vert men umgerecht (Az men chaz-ert tsu fil i-ber vi grecht men iz, vert men um-ger-echt).

 

If you’re a child at twenty, you’re an ass at twenty-one – Az men iz biz tsvantsik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn-un-tsvantsik a behaymeh (Az men iz biz tsvant-sik yor a kind, iz men tsu ayn un tsvant-sik a be-hay-meh).

Passing on one’s troubles

All the troubles [which weigh down my heart] should fall on your head – Ale tsores [vos id hob oyf mayn hartn] zoln oysgeyn tsu dayn kop (Ale tsor-es [vos id hob oyf mayn hart-en] zoln osy-gey-en tsu dayn kop).

 

May all the possible bad dreams stuff your head – Ale beyze chlumut tsu dayn kop (Ale beyz-e chlum-ut tsu dayn kop).

 

May trouble come upon your head – A brod tsu dayn kop (A brod tsu dayn kop).

 

May you be struck dumb forever – Antshvign zolstu vern oyf eybik (Ant-shvig-en zols-tu vern oyf ey-bik).

Passing on words of wisdom

One lie is a lie, two are lies, but three is politics – Ayner iz a ligen, tsvai iz ligens, dray iz politik. (Ay-ner iz a lig-en, tsvai iz lig-ens, dray iz pol-it-ik).

 

When a mother shouts at her child, “Bastard,” you can believe her – Az di muter shrayt oyfen kind, “Mamzer,” meg men ir gloiben (Az di mu-ter shrayt oyf-en kind, “mam-zer,” meg men ir gloib-en).

 

He who lives with the devil, becomes a devil - Az me lebt mit a tayvel, vert men a tayvel. (Az me lebt mit a tayv-el, vert men a tayv-el).

 

Give a pig a chair, he’ll want to get on the table – Az me lozt a chazzer aruf af’n bank, viler af’n tish (Az me lozt a chazz-er a-ruf af’n bank, vil-er af’n tish).

 

If you lie down with the dogs, you get up with the fleas – Az me shloft mit hint, shtayt men oyf mit flay (Az me shloft mit hint, shtayt men oyf mit flay).

 

Better a crooked foot than a crooked mind – Beser a krumer fus ayder a krumer kop (Bes-er a krum-er fus ay-der a krum-er kop).

 

Better to do nothing than to make something into nothing – Beser dos kind zol vaynen ayder der foter (Bes-er dos kind zol vayn-en ay-der der fot-er).

 

Run away from an insult but don’t chase after honor – Far umkoved antloyf, ober yog zich nit noch koved (Far um-kov-ed ant-loyf, o-ber yog zich nit noch ko-ved ).

 

With a good guest, you are happy when he arrives; with a bad one, when he leaves – Mit a gutn gast frayt men zich ven er kumt arayn; mit a shlechtn gast, ven er gayt avek (Mit gu-ten gas frayt men zich ven er kumt a-rhine; mit a shlecht-en gast, ven er gayt a-vek).

 

If you want to please everybody, you’ll die before your time – Vest vellen zich oysfaynen far layt, vestu shtarbn far der tsayt (Vest vell-en zich oys-fay-nen far layt, ves-tu shtarb-en far der tsayt).

 

As you make your bed, so will you sleep in it – Vi me bet zich oys, azoy darf men shlofn. (Vi me bet zich oys, a-zoy darf men shlof-en).