Moishe Broderson: Khavele

Khavele
by Moishe Broderson

I’m a girl and not bad looking,
my face will tell you that
and everyone says
I don’t belong to the stupid class

When I meet with young men
they express their delight,
they say you are pleasing
and your eyes are so bright.

You have a winning smile,
You are an attractive girl,
graceful and alluring
charming and refined..

But when I want a bride groom,
then I am always told
your papa has too little money
and you are getting too old…

So I laugh at the young men
and I teach them some sense.
Since it seems I lack a dowry,
I offer them my smile…

He who wants me for a wife,
will have to overlook money,
Do you know what my dowry will be?
It will be my beautiful eyes…

Dowry you want, I should give you?
Of this I can be reassuring
the person who will give you dowry
will not be graceful and alluring…