Nowadays all prison time is over,
Nowadays prison camp gate is blocked with boards,
And above it a sign reads:
“Everybody left for the front”.

All our sins will be forgiven -
Such are feelings of our people:
If Motherland is in danger,
Than everybody must go to war [to the front].

Every year counts there as three years,
The same as in the prison camp.
Today we are equal to prison guards -
Today everybody must leave for the front.

Look, the prison commandant Beryozkin -
So haughty, so arrogant,
As if his heart was blocked with boards, -
But even he vent to the front.

It would be better to place him at the rear:
He was only brave while handling us, -
The military court awarded him with capital punishment
After he had shot and wounded himself.

But we - we had raised to the task,
So they awarded us later:
Those who survived - with medals,
Those who died - with cemetery crosses.

And in future new prison camp mates
Will read next to the prison gate
Our names behind the glass board
With the sign: “They’d fallen at the front”.