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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]
| Yiddish[2] | Romanization[2] | Literal translation[2] |
|---|---|---|
!אַרבעטער־פֿרױען, לײַדנדע פֿרױען
קעמפֿן צוזאַמען ,װי מעכטיקע לײבן |
Arbeter-froyen, laydnde froyen! |
Working women, suffering women. |
| 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! |
