Lyrics for The International
THE INTERNATIONAL
words by Eugene Pottier, music by Pierre DeGeyter, English trans. Charles H. Kerr
Arise ye prisoners of starvation, Arise ye wretched of the earth,
For justice thunders condemnation, A better world's in birth.
No more tradition's chains shall bind us, Arise ye slaves no more in thrall
The earth shall rise on new foundations, We have been naught we shall be all.
chorus: 'Tis the final conflict, Let each stand in their place,The Internationale* shall be the human race. repeat
We want no condescending saviors To rule us from their judgement hall
We workers ask not for their favors, Let us consult for all.
To make the thief disgorge his booty, To free the spirit from its cell,
We must ourselves decide our duty, We must decide and do it well.
chorus
The law oppresses and tricks us, The wage slave system drains our blood,
The rich are free from obligations, The laws the poor delude.
Too long we've languished in subjection, Equality has other laws.
No rights we say without their duties, No claims on equals without cause.
chorus
Behold them seated in their glory, The kings of mine and rail and soil,
What have you read in all their story, But how they plundered toil?
Fruits of the workers toil are buried In strongholds of the idle few
In working for their restitution, We workers only claim our due.
chorus
We toilers from all fields united, Join hand in hand with all who work.
The earth belongs to us the workers, No room here for the shirk.
How many on our flesh have fattened! But if the noisome birds of prey,
Shall vanish from the sky one morning, The blessed sunlight then will stay.
chorus
*other versions of this line are:"the International Union", "the Industrial Union", "the International Working Class"
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