Text and music by Mikhl Gelbart (1889-1962), which he dedicated to the fighters in Spain, in 1934. The song was popular in demonstrations and May Day parades in the United States and Poland in the 1930’s.
Forward brothers, in your ranks,
hold your banners high before you.
The masses are marching, marching, marching
in the coming struggle for victory.
Whoever is fearful and afraid
will not join with us in battle,
he was born to be a slave
and should stay at home.
Stronger and firmer, our ranks close,
head high and chest forward,
the masses are marching, marching, marching
in the coming struggle for victory.
Our path to victory is sure,
if we march united,
he was born to be a slave
who wants to stay at home.
Forverts, brider, in di reyen,
Di plakatn trogt foroys,
Makhnes geyen, geyen, geyen
In dem kamf tsum zig foroys.
Ver es shrekt zikh un hot moyre,
Vil mit undz in kamf nit geyn,
Yener iz a shklaf geboyrn
Un zol blaybn in der heym.
Fester, shtarker shlist di reyen,
Kop aroyf un brust foroys,
Makhnes geyen, geyen, geyen
In dem kamf tsum zig foroys.
Undzer veg tsum zig iz zikher,
Ven fareynikte mir geyn,
Yener iz a shklaf geboyrn,
Vos vil blaybn in der heym.
פֿאָרװערטס, ברידער, אין די רײען,
די פּלאַקאַטן טראָגט פֿאַרױס,
מחנות גײען, גײען, גײען
אין דעם קאַמף צום זיג פֿאַרױס.
װער עס שרעקט זיך און האָט מורא,
װיל מיט אונדז אין קאַמף ניט גײן,
יענער איז אַ שקלאף געבױרן
און זאָל בלײַבן אין דער הײם.
פֿעסטער, שטאַרקער שליסט די רײען,
קאפ אַרױף און ברוסט פֿאַרױס.
מחנות גײען, גײען, גײען
אין דעס קאַמף צום זיג פֿאָרױס.
אונדזער װעג צום זיג איז זיכער,
װען פֿאַראײניקטע מיר גײ’ן,
יענער איז אַ שקלאף געבױרן,
װאָס װיל בלײַבן אין דער הײם.
Song Title: Makhnes Geyen
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.
