Blue Sister, River Vilija Poem by Salomeja Neris

Vilnele, run to Vilija!
And, Vilija, to Nemunas' shore!
Convey this message: 'We love life
But love our country even more!'

We battled hard and long – bloodstained
We come back to the battlefield.
In water pure our wounds we'll bathe
And with green silk we'll bandage them.

And, should you ask the stones what sort
Of men we are, they with one breath
Shall say how valiantly we fought
Our foes whose eyes were closed by death.

Blue sister, River Vilija,
Make haste, make haste to Nemunas' shore!
Convey this message: 'We love life
But freedom we love even more.'

Translated by Peter Tempest