Mr. Housman-en mezua
Oi, ai, ai,
jendea sortu eta hil egiten da,
geu ere hilko gara berehala
beraz honezkero hilik gaudelako
itxurak egin ditzagun.
Txoria elorrian pausatzen da,
baina bera ere hilko da luze gabe.
Batzuk urkamendian hiltzen dira, bestetzuk tiro batez,
Gizakien patua tamalgarria da oso.
Ai, ai, ai, eta abar…
Londres leku deitoragarria dugu,
Askoz hobea dugu Shropshire.
Hortaz irri egin dezagun une batez
Natura maitagarriaren grazia gaixoberaren gainean.
Oi, ai, ai, ai eta abar…
Song in the Manner of Housman
O Woe, woe, / People are born and die, / We also shall be dead pretty soon / Therefore let us act as if we were / dead already. // The bird sits on the hawthorn tree / But he dies also, presently. / Some lads get hung, and some get shot. / Woeful is this human lot. / Woe! woe, etcetera.... // London is a woeful place, / Shropshire is much pleasanter. / Then let us smile a little space / Upon fond nature’s morbid grace. / Oh, Woe, woe, woe, etcetera....