Text and music by Shmuel Aykhel (1886- 1943), published in 1905. This song was often erroneously credited to Morris Rosenfeld.
In the smithy, by the fire
the blacksmith stands and forges.
He strikes his anvil, sparks fly,
and he sings the while
about the freedom that is coming.
He sings bravely and he sings loud;
and he doesn’t even feel
the river of sweat that pours from his face.
Totally spellbound by freedom
he sings on, and as it rings,
the hammer bangs even louder
and he cannot hear what he is singing.
Of the earth, decorated with flowers,
he goes on singing in his song;
The iron has cooled by now
and he bangs and does not grow tired.
In der kuznye bay dem fayer
Shteyt der shmider un er shmidt.
Er klapt dos ayzn, funken fayer flien,
Un er zingt derbay a lid
Fun der frayheyt vos vet kumen,
Zingt er mutik, zingt er heys;
Un er shpirt nit vi es gist zikh
Fun zayn ponim taykhn shveys.
Shtark batsoybert fun der frayheyt,
Zingt er vayter un es klingt,
Nor der hamer klapt nokh hekher
Un er hert nit vos er zingt.
Fun der erd batsirt mit blumen
Zingt er vayter in zayn lid;
Opgekilt iz shoyn dos ayzn
Un er klapt un vert nit mid.
אין דער קוזניע בײַ דעם פֿײַער
שטײט דער שמידער און ער שמידט.
ער קלאַפּט דאָס אײַזן, פֿונקען פֿײַער פֿליִען,
און ער זינגט דערבײַ אַ ליד.
פֿון דער פֿרײַהײט װאָס װעט קומען,
זינגט ער מוטיק, זינגט ער הײס;
און ער שפּירט ניט װי עס גיסט זיך
פֿון זײַן פּנים טײַכן שװײס.
שטאַרק באַצױבערט פֿון דער פֿרײַהײט,
זינגט ער װײַטער און עס קלינגט,
נאָר דער האַמער קלאַפּט נאָך העכער
און ער הערט ניט װאָס ער זינגט.
פֿון דער ערד באַצירט מיט בלומען
זינגט ער װײטער אין זײַן ליד;
אָפּגעקילט איז שױן דאָס אײַזן
און ער קלאַפּט און װערט ניט מיד.
Song Title: In Der Kuznye
First published in 1972, Mir Trogn A Gezang: Favorite Yiddish Songs was reprinted six more times (in 1977, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000) due to popular demand. The songs in this anthology represent a sampling of beloved folk and well-known Yiddish songs, many of which are scattered in various song collections; some appear in very rare and inaccessible collections; and some were never before published. Folk songs comprise about a third of this volume and were selected mainly on the basis of popularity and sometimes for their historic significance. Needless to say, they are only representative of the vast, rich treasure of Yiddish folk material. The selection was made not only on the basis of personal preference, but in the knowledge they are favorites of many who sing these songs. Most of the songs represent the repertoire that was sung at Yiddish summer camps, May 1st demonstrations and at social gatherings. Many songs were introduced to American Jewry by Jewish immigrants who came to the United States after World War II, for whom these songs had been favorites in Poland and other East European communities destroyed by the Nazis.
