Arbeter Froyen () is a Yiddish song by Jacob Glatstein, based on a 1891 poem by David Edelstadt, entitled Tsu Di Arbeter Froyen (). The song combines themes of socialist feminism with the ideals of the International Jewish Labor Bund.
The poem was published on May 8, 1891, in American Yiddish-language newspaper Fraye Arbeter Shtime. The song was published in Warsaw in 1918. However, the song had been sung before its first written attribution, as shown by contemporaries to events in the late Russian Empire, such as Anatole Litvak, Shalom Levin, and Abba Levin; who noted that the song was popular in the 1890s amongst strikers.
Recordings
"Yiddish Songs Of Work And Struggle", Yiddish Youth Ensemble (ft. Betty Glaser, Dina Schwartzman, Josh Waletsky, Judy Gottlieb, Khane Kliger, Moishe Mlotek, Moishe Rosenfeld, Susan Finesilver, Zalmen Mlotek), 1972 "In Love And In Struggle: The Musical Legacy Of The Jewish Labor Bund", featuring Zalmen Mlotek, Adrienne Cooper, Dan Rous with The New Yiddish Chorale and The Workmen's Circle Chorus, 1999 "The Butcher's Share", Daniel Kahn & the Painted Bird ft. Sarah Gordon, Lorin Sklamberg, Sasha Lurje, Sveta Kundish, and Patrick Farrell, 2017 [sung in English and Yiddish] "Millennial Bundist", Isabel Frey, 2020
Lyrics
Original text YiddishRomanizationLiteral translation!אַרבעטער־פֿרױען, לײַדנדע פֿרױען פֿרױען ,װאָס שמאַכטן אין הױז און פֿאַבריק װאָס שטײט איר פֿון װײַטן ,װאָס העלפֿט איר ניט בױען ?דעם טעמפּל פֿון פֿרײַהײט ,פֿון מענטשלעכן גליק
העלפֿט אונדז טראָגן דעם באַנער דעם רױטן פֿאָרװערטס ,דורך שטורעם ,דורך פֿינצטערע נעכט העלפֿט אונדז װאַרהײט און ליכט צו פֿאַרשפּרײטן !צװישן אומװיסנדע ,עלנטע קנעכט
!העלפֿט אונדז די װעלט פֿון איר שמוץ דערהײבן אַלעס אָפּפֿערן ,װאָס אונדז איז ליב קעמפֿן צוזאַמען ,װי מעכטיקע לײבן פֿאַר פֿרײַהײט, פֿאַר גלײַכהײט, פֿאַר אונדזער פּרינציפּ
ניט אײן מאָל האָבן שױן נאָבעלע פֿרױען געמאַכט ציטערן הענקער און טראָן זײ האָבן געצײַגט, אַז מען קען זײ פֿאַרטרױען אין ביטערסטן שטורעם די הײליקע פֿאָןArbeter-froyen, laydnde froyen! Froyen, vos shmakhtn in hoyz un fabrik, Vos shteyt ir fun vaytn, vos helft ir nit boyen Dem templ fun frayhayt, fun mentshlekhn glik?
Helft undz trogn dem baner dem roytn, Forverts, durkh shturem, durkh fintstere nekht! Helft undz varhayt un likht tsu farshpreytn, Tsvishn unvisnde, eltne knekht!
Helft undz di velt fun ir shmuts derheybn! Ales opfern, vos undz iz lib; Kemfn tsuzamen, vi mekhtike leybn Far frayhayt, far glaykhhayt, far undzer printsip!
Nit eyn mol hobn shoyn nobele froyen, Gemakht tsitern henker un tron, Zey hobn getsaygt, az men ken zey fartroyen, In biterstn shturem di heylike fon.Working women, suffering women. Women who languish at home and in the factory. Why are you standing on the sidelines? Why aren't you helping build the temple of freedom, of human happiness?
Help us carry the red banner forward, through the storm, through dark nights! Help us spread truth and light among ignorant, lonely slaves!
Help us raise the world from its squalor And achieve everything we value. to fight together, like mighty lions – for freedom, equality, our ideals!
More than once have brave women made tyrants and thrones tremble. They have shown that they can be trusted, through the bitterest storms, with the holy flag.
English versions Daniel Kahn & Adrienne Cooper's versionUnknown version 1Unknown version 2Arbeter froyen, hard-working womenYou women who work, you women who sufferWorking Women, women who sufferWomen who labor in fact'ries & homesAll the day long from your breakfast to supperWho languish at home or in shop's abyssJoin in the fight, for it's only beginningWhy don't you join in and help in constructingDon't stand at a distance - Why not help buildAnd no one should stand in the struggle aloneA temple of freedom where you'll be instructingThe temple of freedom, of human bliss?Let us all carry the red flag togetherYour comrades to carry the banner of scarletNot once have noble women put fearWeathering storms in the dark of the nightTo say, “We are free and nobody’s harlot”?On a throne, on a hangman, a money bagBuilding a temple of freedom foreverHelp us in spreading the truth to the masses;They showed us that in the bitter stormHelping each other to carry the lightTeach them they're human and not stupid assesYou can trust them to bear our holy flagSo many sisters, daughters & mothersHelp us to teach them to rise from their squalorWomen heroes, they've stood in the stormHave given their lives for the things they believeAnd set an example of courage and valor.In darkness they've promised hope and light!Mighty as lions they fight for each otherLet's join in the fight that says all are equalThey've meted out vengeance on murderous tyrantsFor freedom & justice & equalityFor thus will true freedom be the great sequel.Looked in death's face, proud and upright.We'll carry the banner as sisters & brothers’Twill not be the first time that women of courageRemember them? When you do, live their livesWaking the world to the light of the dayDid challenge the mighty who held all the powerInspire you again! In triumph you'll pass!As friends & companions, as comrades & loversThese were the women whom none could discourageLearn and think! Fight and striveArbeter froyen, show us the wayThey stood up and said, “Now this is our hour!”For freedom and joy for the whole working class!
References