# The Internationale (Pottier, English)

This English version of The Internationale is attributed to Eugène Pottier (1871) who later fled to England and the United States. It is no longer known if anyone else did this translation. Music by Pierre Degeyter. Variant words are in square brackets.
    1. Arise! ye workers [starvelings], from your slumbers;
    Arise! ye prisoners [criminals] of want.
    For reason in revolt now thunders
    And ends at last the age of "can't".
    Away with all your superstitions
    Servile masses, arise! arise!
    We’ll change henceforth [forthwith] the old tradition [conditions]
    And spurn the dust to win the prize.
    Chorus
    So comrades, come rally
    And the last fight let us face
    The Internationale
    Unites the human race.
    2. No saviour from on high delivers;
    No faith have we in prince or peer.
    Our own right hand the chains must shiver:
    Chains of hatred, greed and fear.
    E’er the thieves will out with their booty [give up their booty]
    And give to all a happier lot.
    Each at his forge must do his duty
    And strike the iron while it’s hot!
    3. The law oppresses us and tricks us,
    The wage slave system drains our blood;
    The rich are free from obligation,
    The laws the poor delude.
    Too long we’ve languished in subjection,
    Equality has other laws;
    “No rights,” says she “without their duties,
    No claims on equals without cause.”
    4. 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
    The men will only claim their due.
    5. No more deluded by reaction
    On tyrants only we’ll make war
    The soldiers too will take strike action
    They’ll break ranks and fight no more
    And if those cannibals keep trying
    To sacrifice us to their pride
    They soon shall hear the bullets flying
    We’ll shoot the Generals on Our Own Side.
    6. We peasants, artisans, and others
    Enrolled among the sons of toil,
    Let’s claim the earth henceforth for brothers,
    Drive the indolent from the soil!
    On our Flesh too Long has fed the Raven;
    We’ve too long been the vulture’s prey.
    But now farewell the spirit craven:
    The dawn brings in a brighter day.

## Alternate version

1. Arise ye starvelings from your slumbers Arise ye criminals of want For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last, ends the age of "can't" Now away with all your superstitions, Servile masses arise, arise! We'll change forthwith the old conditions And spurn the dust to win the prize!

### Chorus (×2)

Then, comrades come rally And the last fight let us face. The Internationale
unites the human race.
2. No Saviours from on high deliver, No faith have we in prince or peer. Our right hand the chains of must shiver, Chains of hatred, greed, and fear. Ere the thieves will out with their booty And to all give a happier lot, Each at the forge must do his duty, And strike the iron while it's hot!

### Chorus (×2)

3. We peasants, artisans, and others Enrolled among the sons of toil, Let's claim the earth henceforth for brothers, Drive the indolent from the soil. On our flesh too long has fed the raven, We've too long been the vulture's prey. But now farewell the spirit craven, The dawn brings in a brighter day.

### Chorus (×2)

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse