Arbeter Froyen (Yiddish: אַרבעטער פֿרױען, lit. 'Working Women'), also known as Tsu Di Arbeter Froyen (Yiddish: צו די אַרבעטער פֿרױען, lit. 'To the Working Women'), is a Yiddish language poem-cum-song written by David Edelshtat, and first scribed by Yankev Glatshteyn.[1] The song combines themes of Socialist Feminism with the ideals of the Jewish Labour Bund. The text of the poem was published on the 8th of May 1891 in Di Fraye Arbeter Shtime in America, with the first publication of the song as a combination of poem and music being in Warsaw, 1918.[2] However the song had been sung before its first written attribution, as shown by contemporaries to events in the late Russian Empire like Anatole Litvak, Shalom Levin, and Abba Levin; who record that the song was popular in the 1890s amongst strikers.[2]

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

Yiddish[2] Transliteration[2] Literal Translation[2]
!אַרבעטער־פֿרױען, לײַדנדע פֿרױען Arbeter-froyen, laydnde froyen! Working women, suffering women.
פֿרױען ,װאָס שמאַכטן אין הױז און פֿאַבריק Froyen, vos shmakhtn in hoyz un fabrik, Women who languish at home and in the factory.
װאָס שטײט איר פֿון װײַטן ,װאָס העלפֿט איר ניט בױען Vos shteyt ir fun vaytn, vos helft ir nit boyen Why are you standing on the sidelines?
?דעם טעמפּל פֿון פֿרײַהײט ,פֿון מענטשלעכן גליק Dem templ fun frayhayt, fun mentshlekhn glik? Why aren't you helping build the temple of freedom, of human happiness?
העלפֿט אונדז טראָגן דעם באַנער דעם רױטן Helft undz trogn dem baner dem roytn, Help us carry the red banner
פֿאָרװערטס ,דורך שטורעם ,דורך פֿינצטערע נעכט Forverts, durkh shturem, durkh fintstere nekht! forward, through the storm, through dark nights!
העלפֿט אונדז װאַרהײט און ליכט צו פֿאַרשפּרײטן Helft undz varhayt un likht tsu farshpreytn, Help us spread truth and light
!צװישן אומװיסנדע ,עלנטע קנעכט Tsvishn unvisnde, eltne knekht! among ignorant, lonely slaves!
!העלפֿט אונדז די װעלט פֿון איר שמוץ דערהײבן Helft undz di velt fun ir shmuts derheybn! Help us raise the world from its squalor
;אַלעס אָפּפֿערן ,װאָס אונדז איז ליב Ales opfern, vos undz iz lib; And achieve everything we value.
קעמפֿן צוזאַמען ,װי מעכטיקע לײבן Kemfn tsuzamen, vi mekhtike leybn to fight together, like mighty lions –
פֿאַר פֿרײַהײט, פֿאַר גלײַכהײט, פֿאַר אונדזער פּרינציפּ Far frayhayt, far glaykhhayt, far undzer printsip! for freedom, equality, our ideals!
ניט אײן מאָל האָבן שױן נאָבעלע פֿרױען Nit eyn mol hobn shoyn nobele froyen, More than once have brave women
געמאַכט ציטערן הענקער און טראָן Gemakht tsitern henker un tron, made tyrants and thrones tremble.
זײ האָבן געצײַגט, אַז מען קען זײ פֿאַרטרױען Zey hobn getsaygt, az men ken zey fartroyen, They have shown that they can be trusted,
אין ביטערסטן שטורעם די הײליקע פֿאָן In biterstn shturem di heylike fon. through the bitterest storms, with the holy flag.

Poetic Translations

Daniel Kahn & Adrienne Cooper's version[1] Unknown version 1[1][3] Unknown version 2[4]
Arbeter froyen, hard-working women You women who work, you women who suffer Working Women, women who suffer
Women who labor in fact'ries & homes All the day long from your breakfast to supper Who languish at home or in shop's abyss
Join in the fight, for it's only beginning Why don't you join in and help in constructing Don't stand at a distance - Why not help build
And no one should stand in the struggle alone A temple of freedom where you'll be instructing The temple of freedom, of human bliss?
Let us all carry the red flag together Your comrades to carry the banner of scarlet Not once have noble women put fear
Weathering storms in the dark of the night To say, “We are free and nobody’s harlot”? On a throne, on a hangman, a money bag
Building a temple of freedom forever Help us in spreading the truth to the masses; They showed us that in the bitter storm
Helping each other to carry the light Teach them they're human and not stupid asses You can trust them to bear our holy flag
So many sisters, daughters & mothers Help us to teach them to rise from their squalor Women heroes, they've stood in the storm
Have given their lives for the things they believe And set an example of courage and valor. In darkness they've promised hope and light!
Mighty as lions they fight for each other Let's join in the fight that says all are equal They've meted out vengeance on murderous tyrants
For freedom & justice & equality For 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 courage Remember them? When you do, live their lives
Waking the world to the light of the day Did challenge the mighty who held all the power Inspire you again! In triumph you'll pass!
As friends & companions, as comrades & lovers These were the women whom none could discourage Learn and think! Fight and strive
Arbeter froyen, show us the way They stood up and said, “Now this is our hour!” For freedom and joy for the whole working class!

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Arbeter Froyen | Rise Up and Sing". www.riseupandsing.org. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Arbeter Froyen – The Yosl and Chana Mlotek Yiddish Song Collection at the Workers Circle". yiddishsongs.org. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
  3. ↑ ""Arbeter Froyen", by Daniel Kahn & The Painted Bird – Save The Music Archives". Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  4. ↑ Laboratories, Yiddishkayt (2015-03-08). "12 Big Bad Yiddishe Mamas". Yiddishkayt. Retrieved 2023-08-17.
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