Words and music are by Mordkhe Gebirtig (see note about author in Es Brent). Cracow. October 1940.
Jews, let us be cheerful!
It won’t be long, don’t fear:
The war will soon be over,
Their end is very near.
Cheerful, don’t you worry,
Don’t go around so sad,
Have both hope and patience-
Bear things and be glad.
Only hope and patience,
Don’t let them out of hand,
Our ancient weapons
Help us together band.
Revel, dance, you butchers,
It won’t be long I hope —
There was once a Haman —
For you too waits the rope.
Revel, dance, you butchers,
Jews their pain can bear,
The hardest tasks and labor
Will not our will impair.
Sweep then? We will sweep then!
As long as you may deem,
It’s in vain, the sweeping,
It never will come clean.
Wash then? We will wash then!
Cain’s bright red stain,
Abel’s heart that’s bleeding —
Though washed will still remain.
Chase us from our dwellings,
Cut our beards and yell!
Jews, let us be cheerful
Let them go to hell!
Yidn, zol zayn freylekh!
Shoyn nit lang, ikh hof:
S’ekt bald di milkhome,
Es kumt bald zeyer sof.
Freylekh, nor nit zorgn
Un nit arumgeyn trib,
Hot geduld, bitokhn —
Un nemt alts on far lib.
Nor geduld, bitokhn,
Nit lozt aroys fun hant
Undzer alt kley-zayin,
Vos halt undz gor banand.
Hulyet, tantst talyonim,
Shoyn nit lang, ikh hof —
Geven a mol a Homen —
Es vart af im zayn sof.
Hulyet, tantst talyonim,
Laydn ken a yid,
S’vet di shverste arbet
Undz keyn mol makhn mid.
Kern? Zol zayn kern!
Kol-zman ir vet zayn
lz umzist dos kern,
S’vet do nit vern reyn.
Vashn? Zol zayn vashn!
Kayins royter flek,
Hevls blut fun hartsn —
Dos vasht zikh nit avek.
Traybt undz fun di dires.
Shnaydt undz op di berd!
Yidn, zol zayn freylekh! —
Mir hobn zey in d’rerd!
ייִדן, זאָל זײַן פֿרײלעך!
שױן נישט לאַנג, איך האָף:
ס׳עקט באַלד די מלחמה,
עס קומט באַלד זײער סוף.
פֿרײלעך, נאָר ניט זאָרגן
און ניט אַרומגײן טריב,
האָט געדולד, בטחון —
און נעמט אַלץ אָן פֿאַר ליב.
נאָר געדולד, בטחון,
ניט לאָזט אַרױס פֿון האַנט
אונדזער אַלט כּלי־זין,
װאָס האַלט אונדז גאָר באַנאַנד.
הוליעט, טאַנצט תּלינים,
שױן ניט לאַנג, איך האָף —
געװען אַ מאָל אַ המן —
עס װאַרט אױף אים זײַן סוף.
הוליעט, טאַנצט תּלינים,
לײַדן קען אַ ייִד,
ס׳װעט די שװערסטע אַרבעט
אונדז קײן מאָל מאַכן מיד.
קערן? זאָל זײַן קערן!
כּל–זמן איר װעט זײַן
איז אומזיסט דאָס קערן,
ס׳װעט דאָ ניט װערן רײן.
װאַשן? זאָל זײַן װאַשן!
קינס רױטער פֿלעק,
הבֿלס בלוט פֿון האַרצן —
דאָס װאַשט זיך ניט אַװעק.
טרײַבט אונדז פֿון די דירות,
שנײַדט אונדז אָפּ די בערד!
ייִדן, זאָל זײַן פֿרײלעך! —
מיר האָבן זײ אין דר׳ערד!
Song Title: Minutn Fun Bitokhn
Compiled by sisters Malke Gottleib and Chana Mlotek, this collection of 40 songs, issued on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, reflects the suffering, despair, longing, as well as the strength, hope and courage that led the last remnant of enfeebled Jews to take up arms against the mammoth Nazi war-machine. Save for five songs, this compilation comprises songs that were actually written or sung in the ghettos and concentration camps. Four exceptions written after the war: “Babi Yar,” “Moyshelekh un Shloymelekh,” “Kadish,” and “Mayn mame hot gevolt zayn oyf mayn khasene” are often presented at commemorative gatherings and were therefore included. The fifth song “Am Yisroel Khay” was written in a D.P. camp and is an affirmation of the will of the survivors to build new lives for themselves, holding high their belief in the endurance of the Jewish people. To enable readers and singers not conversant with the Yiddish alphabet to utilize this collection, We Are Here! Songs of the Holocaust provides parallel transliterations and singable English translations by Roslyn Bresnick Perry.
