Across great China's sundials
The sun and moon plied their shuttle.
The day came, the night—
Now my tears flow again,
It is May 30th.

O brothers: were you fools or heroes
To march to the international settlement?
The imperialist bullets were of steel,
Your bodies only of flesh and blood;
Which was stronger,
The egg or the stone?

O hear:
Your children call for their fathers.
Your widows burn paper money and sob.
Your father mourns, he has lost his strong sons and will starve.

But see:
Chiang Kai-shek's new wife has a beautiful diamond ring
And a twelve-thousand dollar automobile with expensive musical horns,
And he rolls in splendor to his palace while his mercenaries cheer.
He has glory and power,
While you are dead.

But O my brothers: don't envy that traitor general.
All China knows that workers' blood and sweat
Pay for those luxuries.
All China will find revenge.
And you, my brothers, were not foolish or mad,
But the first sparks of the fire to burn him up.
You will live while it blazes,
The fire of World Revolution.