Karel Kryl - Veličenstvo Kat - Majesty Headsman
One of the best songs of my favourite singer
I tried to translate the lyrics. I'd appreciate your input, comments, critics, whatever...
Cheers!
| Veličenstvo Kat | Majesty Hangman | Majesty Headsman |
| (direct translation) | (sing-along translation) | |
| V ponurém osvětlení | In somber light | In the somber light |
| gotického sálu | of the gothic room | of gothic room |
| kupčíci vyděšení | scared merchants | merchants scared to death |
| hledí do misálů | stare at the missals | are staring at the missals |
| a houfec mordýřů | and a hord of cutthroats | and a hord of cutthroats |
| si žádá požehnání | is demanding a consecration | is demanding a blessing |
| Vždyť prvním z rytířů | Well, the first of the knights | Well, the first of knights |
| je veličenstvo Kat | is majesty Hangman | is majesty Headsman |
| Kněz - Ďábel co mši slouží | The priest – a devil serving the mass | Priest-devil serving the mass |
| z oprátky má štólu | from a noose has a stole | wears a stole made of a noose |
| Pod fialovou komží | Under the purple surplice | Under the purple surplice |
| láhev vitriolu | a bottle of vitriol | a bottle of vitriol he hides |
| Pach síry z hmoždířů | A stench of brimstone from mortars | Brimestone stench from mortars |
| se valí k rudé kápi | is flowing to the crimson cape | is flowing to the red cape |
| prvního z rytířů | of the first of knights | of the first of knights |
| Hle - veličenstvo Kat | See – majesty Hangman | See – majesty Headsman |
| Na korouhvi státu | On the banner of the state | The ensign of the state |
| je emblém s gilotinou | there's an emblem with guillotine | bears an emblem with guillotine |
| Z ostnatého drátu | From the barbed wire | From the barbed wire |
| páchne to shnilotinou | it stinks of rot | it stinks of rotten bodies |
| V kraji hnízdí hejno krkavčí | A gaggle of ravens nidifies in the land | In the land some ravens nidify |
| Lidu vládne Mistr Popravčí | Master executioner rules the people | Master executioner holds the rule |
| Král klečí před Satanem | The king kneels in front of Satan | The king kneels in front of Satan |
| Na žezlo se těší | He's amused to get the sceptre | amused to get a sceptre |
| A lůza pod platanem | The rabble under plane-tree | Rabble hangs the advice |
| Radu Moudrých věší | is hanging the Advice of the wise | of the wise under a plane-tree |
| a zástup kacířů | and crowds of heretics | and crowds of heretics |
| se raduje a jásá | glories and crows over | crows over and shouts glory |
| že prvním z rytířů | that the first of knights | that the first of knights |
| je veličenstvo Kat | is majesty Hangman | is majesty Headsman |
| Na rohu ulice | At the corner of the street | At the corner of the street |
| vrah o morálce káže | A murder preaches on the morals | A murder preaches on the morals |
| Před vraty věznice | In front of the prison door | In front of the prison door |
| se procházejí stráže | guards are promenading | guards are promenading |
| Z vojenských pancířů | From the army armatures | From the army armatures |
| vstříc černý nápis hlásá | a black label announces | a black label announces |
| že prvním z rytířů | that the first of knights | that the first of knights |
| je veličenstvo Kat | is majesty Hangman | is majesty Headsman |
| Nad palácem vlády | Over the palace of government | The palace of government |
| ční prapor s gilotinou | dwarfs a flag with guillotine | flies a flag with guillotine |
| Děti mají rády | Children like | Children really liked it |
| kornouty se zmrzlinou | cones of ice-cream | the cornets of ice-cream |
| Soudcové se na ně zlobili | Judges were angry with them | Judges got angry with the kids |
| Zmrzlináře dětem zabili | They killed the ice-cream maker | so they decided to kill ice-creamer |
| Byl hrozný tento stát | The state was monstrous | The state was monstrous |
| když musel jsi se dívat | when you had to watch | when you had to watch how |
| jak zakázali psát | how they prohibitted writing | they prohibitted writing |
| a zakázali zpívat | and prohibitted singing | and forbid to sing songs |
| a bylo jim to málo | and that was not enough | and that was not enough |
| Poručili dětem | They ordered the children | They ordered the children |
| modlit se jak si přálo | to pray according to the wishes | to pray to please the heart |
| veličenstvo Kat | of majesty Hangman | of majesty Headsman |
| S úšklebkem Ďábel viděl | With a grin the devil saw | With a grin the devil saw |
| pro každého podíl | an interest for everyone | an interest for all |
| Syn otce nenáviděl | Son hated the father | Sons hated fathers |
| Bratr bratru škodil | Brother did harm a brother | Brothers harmed brothers |
| Jen motýl Smrtihlav | Just the death's-head butterfly | Just the death's-head butterfly |
| se nad tou zemí vznáší | is soaring over the land | is soaring over the landscape |
| kde v kruhu tupých hlav | where in the circle of dumb heads | where in the circle of dumb heads |
| dlí - veličenstvo KAT | lingers – the majesty HANGMAN | lingers – the majesty HEADSMAN |
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