Bund, Jewish Labor. Songs.  Di Shvue

Di Shvue (The Oath). Written by Ansky, arranged by M. Posner. Workmen's Circle Chorus with piano conducted by Lazar Weiner. Musicraft mx. RS 840C recorded NY circa 1940.

Di Shvue was the anthem of the Jewish Labor Bund.

Brider un shvester fun arbet un noyt

Ale, vos zaynen tsezeyt un teshpreyt

Tsuzamen, tsuzamen, di fon zi iz greyt

A shvue, a shvue oyf lebn un toyt!

Refrain:

Himl un erd vet undz hern

Eydes - di likhtike shtern

A shvue, a shvue fun blut un fun trern

Mir shvern, mir shvern, mir shvern

Mir shvern tsu kemfn far frayhayt un rekht

Mit ale tiranen un zeyere knekht

Mir shvern bazign di fintstere makht

Oder mit heldnmut faln in shlakht!

A shvue, a shvue, oyf lebn un toyt!

Mir shvern tsu firn a heylikn shtrayt!

Biz vanen di erd vet nit vern banayt

Keyn kabtsn, keyn nogid, keyn har un keyn shklat

Glaykh zoln vern ver shark un ver shlaf

A shvue, a shvue oyf lebn un toyt!

Partial English translation:

Brothers and sisters in toil and want

All who are scattered and dispersed

Let us take an oath together

Before our blood-stained flag

Heaven and earth will hear our cry

The glowing stars will bear witness

An oath of blood

An oath born of tears

We vow to fight for our freedom

To be rid of tyrants and tyranny

We will overcome the dark of the night

Or fall like heroes in the mist of our fight

(Sinai Leichter, Anthology of Yiddish Folksongs)