Di Shvue

Part of a series of articles on the Jewish Labour Bund אַלגעמײַנער ײדישער אַרבעטער בּונד אין ליטע פוילין און רוסלאַנד 1890s to World War I Russia · Austria-Hungary Interwar years and World War II Belarus · Latvia · Lithuania · Poland · Romania · Soviet Union After 1945 International Jewish Labor Bund Branches: Australia · France · Israel · United Kingdom People Viktor Alter · Henryk Ehrlich · Esther Frumkin · Vladimir Medem · Noah Meisel · Anna Rozental · Szmul Zygielbojm Press Arbeiter Fragen · Arbeiterstimme · Der yidisher arbeyter · Folkstsaytung · Lodzer veker Associated organisations Klain Bund · Kultur Lige · Morgnshtern · S.K.I.F. · Tsukunft · Tsukunft shturem Splinter groups Communist Bund (Poland) · Communist Bund (Russia) · Communist Bund (Ukraine) · Komtsukunft Categories Bundism · Jewish history · Socialist parties v · d · e

Di Shvue (Literally: The Oath, Yiddish: די שבֿועה. Also known as Di Bundishe Shvue) was written by S. Ansky in 1902. This Yiddish song became the anthem of the socialist, General Jewish Labour Bund in the early 1900's.^[1][2][3] The source of its melody is unknown.^[4] Bundists sing this song virtually every time they meet.^[5] For example, it was sung at the 100th anniversary (1998) of the General Jewish Labour Bund in Paris, Marek Edelman's funeral, and the 50th anniversary (2009) reunion of Camp Hemshekh. The song exhorts Jews to unite, and to commit themselves body and soul to the defeat of the Russian Tsar and of capitalism.^[6]

Lyrics

Yiddish
ברידער און שװעסטער פֿון אַרבען און נױט,
אַלע װאָס זײַנען צעזײט און צעשפּרייט
צוזאַמען צוזאַמען די פֿאָן איז גרייט
זי פֿלאַטערט פֿון צאָרן פֿון בלוט איז זי רייט
אַ שבֿועה אַ שבֿועה אַויף לעבן און טויט

הימל און ערד װעלן אונדז אויסהערן
איידעס װעלן זײַן די ליכטיקע שטערן
אַ שבֿועה פֿון בלוט און אַ שבֿועה פֿון טרערן
מיר שװערן מיר שװערן אַויף לעבן און טויט

מיר שװערן אַ טרײַהײט אָן גרענעצן צום בונד
נאָר ער קען די שקלאַפֿן באַרפֿרײַען אַצינד
די פֿאָן די רײטע איז הייך פֿון ברייט
זי פֿלאַטערט פֿון צאָרן פֿון בלוט איז זי רייט
אַ שבֿועה אַ שבֿועה אַויף לעבן און טויט

Yiddish transliteration Brider un shvester fun arbet un noyt Ale vos zaynen tsezeyt un tseshpreyt, Tsuzamen, tsuzamen, di fon iz greyt, Zi flatert fun tsorn, fun blut iz zi reyt! A shvue, a shvue, af lebn un toyt. Himl un erd veln undz oyshern Eydes veln zayn di likhtike shtern A shvue fun blut un a shvue fun trern, Mir shvern, mir shvern, mir shvern! Mir shvern a trayhayt on grenetsn tsum bund. Nor er ken di shklafn bafrayen atsind. Di fon di reyte iz heykh un breyt. Zi flatert fun tsorn, fun blut iz zi reyt! A shvue, a shvue, af lebn un toyt. [1][2] English translation Brothers and sisters in toil and struggle All who are dispersed far and wide Come together, the flag is ready It waves in anger, it is red with blood! Swear an oath of life and death! Heaven and earth will hear us, The light stars will bear witness. An oath of blood, an oath of tears, We swear, we swear, we swear! We swear an endless loyalty to the Bund. Only it can free the slaves now. The red flag is high and wide. It waves in anger, it is red with blood! Swear an oath of life and death! [1][2] See also S. Ansky General Jewish Labour Bund Text of Di Shuve printed for Marek Edelman's funeral References ^ a b c http://www.stanford.edu/class/hebrew/yiddish/resources/shvue.html ^ a b c http://zemerl.com/cgi-bin//show.pl?title=di+shvue ^ http://digital.library.upenn.edu/webbin/freedman/lookupartist?hr=&what=6376 ^ http://epyc.yivo.org/content/13_6.php ^ http://www.forward.com/articles/3356/# ^ http://epyc.yivo.org/content/13_6.php External links A recording of Di Shvue. Music and words of Di Shvue Yiddish and english of Di Shvue