By kind permission of
Gojim - An Austrian Group of Musicians
S'ligt ergets fartayet
Der faynt, vi a khaye,
Der mauzer er vakht in maynt hant;
Nor plutsem - gestapo!
Me firt a geshmidtn
durkh fintsternish dem komendant
Di nakht hot mit blitsn
Dos geto tseshnitn:
"Gefar!" Shrayt a toyer, a vant
Khaveyrim getraye
Fun keytn bafrayen
Farshvindn mit dem komendant...
Di nakht iz farfloygn
Der toyt- far di oygn
Dos geto es fibert in brand;
In umru dos geto -
Es drot di gestapo:
"Toyt, oder dem komendant"
Gezogt hot dan Itsik
Un durkh, vi a blits iz:
-"Ikh vil nit, ir zolt tsulib mir
Darfn dos lebn
Dem soyne opgebn!"...
Tsum toyt geyt shtolts der komendant
Ligt vider fartayet
Der faynt, vi a khaye
Kh'halt vider mayn mauzer in hant:
"Du bist bay mir tayer,
Zay du mayn bafrayer,
Zay du itster mayn komendant!"
Text: Shmaryahu (Shmerke) Kaczerginski, Melody: Matjew Blanter
Somewhere the enemy
Lies hidden like a beast
The Mauser in my hand is alert
But suddenly - the Gestapo -
Leading our Commandant in chains
Through the darkness
Night in the Ghetto
Was torn by lightning
"Beware!" shrieks a buidling, a wall
Faithful comrades
Freed from chains
Vanished with the Commandant
Night has flown by
Death hovered before us
The Ghetto is shaken as with fever"
Restless the Ghetto
As Gestapo threatens:
"Your commandant, or Death!"
Itzik then spoke up -
Words that struck like lightning
"I do not want that because of me
Your lives are to be put in the hands of the foe..."
Proudly to his death went our Commandant!
Again, somewhere the enemy
Lurks like a beast;
The Mauser is alert in my hand
No, my Mauser,
Be you the liberator
Be you my Commandant now.