He said to us over and over again: "She is mine!" Yes you are making me laugh, my friend, yes you are making me laugh!" Go away lad, - you are awfully drunk, - But then you run up against, my friend, look you run up against!" But he shouted: "Now I don’t care! Get into the taxi-cab - let’s take a ride! May the meter click - it doesn’t make a difference At the end of the way one has to pay." I am not sorry for such chaps. "Leave sin alone!" - I repeat again. And he - to me, and always - about her... "And now - no word, my friend, look no word!" With the wine got my blood into the temples - And continuously smiling, I told him softly "No matter whatsoever At the end of the way one has to pay!" For tears and requests I am deaf - I desire to fight, oh how do I desire it! Either if you want to, my friend, or if you don’t want to, my friend, - Pay the expenses, pay the expenses! And life flashes by, like a silent film, - I feel well, I want to smile, - And the meter - clicks and clicks - yes never mind At the end of the way one has to pay.
© Elisabeth Jelinek. Translation, 2018