Translating is always betraying. 7) Shipbuilding
Elvis Costello - Shipbuilding
Is it good? Is it right and just?
There will be a nice coat and new shoes for the wife and a bicycle for the boy's birthday; it’s just a rumor running through the town on the lips of women and children: soon we will build ships.
However, questions arise:
The boy said, "Dad, they will call me to do my part, but maybe I will be back for Christmas."
It’s just a rumor running through the town: some say that there’s someone who has started to lash out because they no longer want to hear that some are dying, killed by the ships we build.
With all the arrogance of the world launched into the sea to take lives and loved ones while, in that sea, we could dive to fish for pearls.
It’s just a rumor running through the town: there will be a telegram or a postcard, then after a few weeks they will reopen the shipyards. They will break the news to the closest relatives, once again.
It’s all we know how to do well, so we will build ships.
With all the arrogance of the world launched into the sea to take lives and loved ones while, in that sea, we could dive to fish for pearls.