This deeply moving melody, taught by the Rebbe on Simchas Torah of 5723 (1962), is composed primarily of Ukrainian and Russian words interspersed with sentences in Hebrew and Yiddish.
The Rebbe explained that the basic melody was adopted by Ukrainian chassidim from peasant shepherds. In the tradition of the founder of chassidism, the Ba'al Shem Tov, the chassidim adapted the lyrics and melody of this shepherds’ song to the theme of serving G‑d, giving us a pastoral chassidic melody.
The Rebbe taught that the inner meaning of this song is that the two months of Elul and Tishrei – the month preceding the High Holidays and the month of the High Holidays – have passed, yet we have not mended those areas of our actions that need improvement. Therefore, we must “drown” our body and animal spirit in moral stock-taking, so that they do not impede our striving to be better people.
By making an accounting of his deeds, the chassid endeavors to free himself from his human limitations, and break though his body’s indifference to spirituality. He pierces through these obstacles to the broad path of love and fear of G‑d and joyful worship.
When the Rebbe heard the recording of this niggun on Nichoach, sung by Reb Shamshen Charitonov. He said that this is exactly the nusach i originally remember hearing it.
סטאוו יא פיטו אוּוו פיאטניצו (סובאטו), אוּוו פיאטניצו (סובאטו). פראפאוו יא, יא פראפאוו סוואיו טעליצו (ראבאטו). טרעבא טרעבא זנאטי יאק גוליאטי, טרעבא טרעבא זנאטייאק ברעכאטי. אוי חשבון צדק אטדאוואטי, פערעד פאנאם כאזיאינאם אטוועטשאטי. א מי פיעם, דא פיעם דא מי גולאיעם. און מיר טרינקען יין אזוי ווי מים און מיר זאגן אלע צוזאמען לחיים ואתה תשמע מן השמים
I started to drink on Friday, on Friday (Saturday) I had drunk, had drunk, my calf away (work). One must, must know, how to be merry, One must, must know, how to talk. Oh, how to give a just reckoning For the Master, the L‑rd, Oh, to justify oneself. But we drink, we drink, and we revel. And we drink wine like water, And we say together, “lechayim,” And you, O L‑rd, please hearken to us in heaven.
The same melody is repeated, with substitutions (as shown in parentheses above), replacing the word “Friday” with “Saturday,” and “calf” with “work.”
Transliteration: Stav ya pi-too oov pi-yat-nitzoo (su-bo-too), oov pi-yat-nitzoo (su-bo-too) Prah-poov ya, ya prah-poov s-va-yoo te-li-tzoo (ra-bo-too) Tre-bah, tre-bah z-na-ti yak gool-ya-ti Tre-bah, tre-bah z-na-ti yak bre-cha-ti Oy, chesh-boin tze-dek o-da-va-ti P-red pa-nom cha-za-ye-nom ot-vet-shati Ah, mi pi-yem, da pi-yem, da mi gul-ya-yem Un mir trin-ken ya-yin a-zoi vee ma-yim Un mir zoh-gen a-leh tzu-za-men le-cha-yim Ve-a-toh tish-ma min ha-sho-ma-yim