I’m not a communist so when they came for the communists...
I  held my tongue
Minded my own business like a good neighbor
I trusted that justice be done

    I didn’t ask what was their crime
    It was their sadness..... wasn’t mine
    I didn’t care where they were sent
    By my silence I gave my consent ...By my silence I gave my consent

I am not Jewish and so when they came for the Jews..
I had nothing to say
Branded with stars like cattle in box cars
and then...taken away

    I didn’t ask what was their crime
    It was their sadness..... wasn’t mine
    I didn;t care where they were sent
    By my silence I gave my consent ...By my silence I gave my consent

  I didn’t care when they came for the Unionists,
  Came for the socialists  they took the powerless,  
  I’m not a terrorist I’m not an immigrant
  I’m native born faithfully ignorant

  I didn’t care what was their crime
  until their sorrow turned into mine

I was ok I was a citizen ....and I was free
I didn’t care now there’s nobody there
No one to speak out for me
 
 At the time I believed    
    It never’d happen to me
    I didn’t know what it meant
    For my silence to give my consent
    For my silence to be my consent
    By my silence...give my consent