XXXIV

 

Zer nezakean, miñ-izan eta irrikatu baizik

Nere aberria, pakedun, aberats eta indartsua,

Ingeleterra’ra etorri ta bere alde borroka egin zezan.

Zer nezakean, miñ-izan eta irrikatu baizik.

Aitaren eskutitzak gorde bear,

Iñork jakin ez zezan zer esaten zun.

“Galde egiten didazu ia bagoazen —

Bagoaz. Ingelesak pekatua bezin azkarrak dira,

Ixillik, meaxki, ia gaztedi osoari

Sugar bizia piztutzen dio

Britaniar Aginterriaren alde beren odola emateko.

Joango gera —borroka egin eta iltzera.

Apalki emango laguntza ta bi ta bi lau diran bezela

Ingeletarrak ziria sartuko digu.

Koloni, urre ta ospea lortuko

Ta guretzat, gaitzestea besterik ez.

Marmar leenago etorri ez giñalako,

Diru, gizon eta gudari-orni geiago

Bidali ez genitulako, esamesa.

Aztertzera ausartzen bagera ere bai —

Ergel utsak gera —gure azala meegia,

Ez degu ezer lortuko, bañan joango gera.”

 

 

 

XXXIV

What could I do, but ache and long / That my country, peaceful, rich, and strong, / Should come and do battle for England’s sake. / What could I do, but long and ache. / And my fadher’s letters I hid away / Lest some one should know the things he’d say. / ‘You ask me whether we’re coming in— / We are. The English are clever as sin, / Silently, subtly they inspire / Most of youth with a holy fire / To shed their blood for the British Empire. / We’ll come in—we’ll fight and die / Humbly to help them, and by and by, / England will do us in the eye. / They’ll get colonies, gold and fame, / And we’ll get nothing at all but blame. / Blame for not having come before, / Blame for not having sent them more / Money and men and war supplies, / Blame if we venture to criticize. / We’re so damn simple—our skins so thin / We’ll get nothing whatever, but we’ll come in.’