# Hej Sokoły

Hej, Sokoły (Hey, falcons, Polish: Hej, Sokoły, Ukrainian: Гей, соколи, romanized: Hey, sokoly), properly titled Żal za Ukrainą (Longing for Ukraine) or Na zielonej Ukrainie (In green Ukraine) is a Polish and Ukrainian folk song.

## History

The song's authorship is not completely certain. Some historians attribute the writing of the song to the Ukrainian-Polish poet-songwriter Tomasz Padura (1801–1871) (however, according to the latest Ukrainian research, there are no lyrics of the song in any of Padura's song collections). Others believe it was written by the Polish classical composer Maciej Kamieński (1734–1825). The original Polish-language version was translated (sometimes with modified lyrics) into several languages.
According to Olga Kharchyshyn, "Hej Sokoły" is based on the 19th century Polish folk song "Żal za Ukrainą", but with a new refrain and opening verses. It first appeared in the current form in the latter half of the 20th century and was subsequently translated from the Polish language into Ukrainian.

## Popularity

The tune was popular among Polish soldiers during the Polish-Soviet War, and was also sung by the Polish Home Army guerrillas during World War II. Polish folk singer named Maryla Rodowicz performed a cover of the song. The song is widely known in the countries: Poland, Ukraine, Slovakia, and Belarus, and to a lesser extent in Russia and the eastern Czech Republic.
It is sometimes presented as a Polish folk song and/or Ukrainian folk song. The lyrics vary only slightly between the two languages.

## Lyrics

The lyrics exist in several versions about a Ukrainian girl to whom her betrothed (a cossack or an uhlan) says goodbye for the last time.

### First verse

| Polish | English translation | Ukrainian | Ukrainian transliteration |
| Hej, tam gdzieś z nad czarnej wody | Hey, there, somewhere near black waters, | Гей, десь там, де чорні води, | Hej, deś tam de čorni vody, |
| Wsiada na koń kozak młody. | A young cossack mounts his horse. | Сів на коня козак молодий. | Siv na konja kozak molodyj. |
| Czule żegna się z dziewczyną, | Sadly he parts with his girl, | Плаче молода дівчина, | Plače moloda divčyna, |
| Jeszcze czulej z Ukrainą. | But even more sadly with Ukraine. | Їде козак з України. | Jide kozak z Ukrajiny. |
| Hej, hej, hej sokoły! | Hey, hey, hey falcons! | Гей! Гей! Гей, соколи! | Hej! Hej! Hej, sokoly! |
| Omijajcie góry, lasy, doły. | Fly past the mountains, forests and valleys. | Оминайте гори, ліси, доли. | Omynajte hory, lisy, doly. |
| Dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń dzwoneczku, | Ring, ring, ring little bell. | Дзвін, дзвін, дзвін, дзвіночку, | Dzvin, Dzvin, Dzvin, dzvinočku, |
| Mój stepowy skowroneczku | My little steppe skylark | Степовий жайвороночку | Stepovyj žajvoronočku |

#### Other verses

| Polish | English translation | Ukrainian | Ukrainian transliteration |
| Wiele dziewcząt jest na świecie, | There are many girls in the world, | | |
| Lecz najwięcej w Ukrainie. | But the most in Ukraine. | | |
| Tam me serce pozostało, | There, I left my heart | | |
| Przy kochanej mej dziewczynie. | With my beloved girl. | | |
| Hej, hej, hej sokoły! | Hey, hey, hey falcons! | Гей! Гей! Гей, соколи! | Hej! Hej! Hej, sokoly! |
| Omijajcie góry, lasy, doły. | Fly past the mountains, forests and valleys. | Оминайте гори, ліси, доли. | Omynajte hory, lisy, doly. |
| Dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń dzwoneczku, | Ring, ring, ring little bell. | Дзвін, дзвін, дзвін, дзвіночку, | Dzvin, dzvin, dzvin, dzvinočku, |
| Mój stepowy skowroneczku | My little steppe skylark | Степовий жайвороночку | Stepovyj žajvoronočku |
| Hej, hej, hej sokoły! | Hey, hey, hey falcons! | Гей! Гей! Гей, соколи! | Hej! Hej! Hej, sokoly! |
| Omijajcie góry, lasy, doły. | Fly past the mountains, forests and valleys. | Оминайте гори, ліси, доли. | Omynajte hory, lisy, doly. |
| Dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń dzwoneczku, | Ring, ring, ring little bell. | Дзвін, дзвін, дзвін, дзвіночку, | Dzvin, dzvin, dzvin, dzvinočku, |
| Mój stepowy - dzwoń, dzwoń, dzwoń. | My steppe - ring, ring ring. | Мій степовий дзвін, дзвін, дзвін. | Mij stepovyj dzvin, dzvin, dzvin. |
| Ona biedna tam została, | She poor one remained there, | Плаче, плаче, дівчинонька, | Plače, plače, divčynon'ka, |
| Jaskółeczka moja mała, | My little swallow, | Люба моя ластівонька, | Ljuba moja lastivon'ka, |
| A ja tutaj w obcej stronie | And I'm here in this foreign land [lit. 'on the foreign side'] | А я у чужому краю, | A ja u čužomu kraju, |
| Dniem i nocą tęsknię do niej. | I miss her day and night. | Серце спокою не має. | Serce spokoju ne maje. |
| Żal, żal, za dziewczyną, | Sorrow, sorrow, for that girl, | Жаль, жаль, за милою, | Žal', žal' za myloju, |
| Za zieloną Ukrainą, | And for green Ukraine; | За рідною стороною. | Za ridnoju storonoju. |
| Żal, żal, serce płacze, | Sorrow, sorrow, heart is stricken, | Жаль, жаль серце плаче, | Žal', žal' serce plače, |
| Już jej więcej nie zobaczę. | I'll never see her again. | Більше її не побачу. | Bil'še jiji ne pobaču. |
| Wina, wina, wina dajcie! | Wine, wine, give me wine! | Меду, вина наливайте | Medu, vyna nalyvajte |
| A jak umrę pochowajcie | And when I die bury me | Як загину поховайте | Jak zahynu pokhovajte |
| Na zielonej Ukrainie | In green Ukraine, | На далекій Україні | Na dalekij Ukrajini |
| Przy kochanej mej dziewczynie | By my dear girl. | Коло милої дівчини. | Kolo myloji divčyny. |

## Usage during the Russian invasion of Ukraine

A number of social media videos put out by Ukrainian forces to celebrate victories in the Russian invasion of Ukraine feature the song as the backing track. On 16 April 2022, the General staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine put out a video with a version of the song recorded by Pikkardiyska Tertsiya as a show of gratitude towards the military aid from Poland.
On 23 March 2023, the Slovak Armed Forces uploaded a video on YouTube showing the transfer of four MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, featuring a version of the song recorded by the Military Music Band of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic.