Translated by H. Melvin Symmank

Hear! What in these difficult years
Pressures that mankind must learn.
The poor farmers on the land! Never
Does it go worse for another person.
Does it go worse for another person.

Great alas! Is the poverty among these people
Much torment of hunger even at times;
We have enough lack of bread and salt,
Only in curds and buttermilk refresh us.
Only in curds and buttermilk refresh us.

Even after milk, millet is a big question,
There are only potatoes every day,
Noodles, dumplings, fish and meat and eggs
This is hardly for a high festive celebration.
Only in curds and buttermilk refresh us.

The servants grumble about work,
Is it not annoying, when it is always growling?
All seek for the entire wages
Should you also be plagued day and night.
Should you also be plagued day and night.

I have a son of the proper age
Who could defend himself in a crowd
Search out from all a sponsor for him
By force make him into a soldier.
By force make him into a soldier.

No one in the kingdom need to think
The administration will give him anything.
(He) must provide for interest and taxes and duty
Even if you must also borrow it from heaven.
Even if you must also borrow it from heaven.

If he does not give his all, what a person has
It appears bad for the poor boy;
Garnishment, blows, languishing in prison
Such beetles buzz around his ear.
Such beetles buzz around his ear.

We must bear the cross even further
We will in confidence lament to the Most High
And ask Him, that after the cross and suffering
He would give us His heavenly pleasure.
He would give us His heavenly pleasure.



Attachment: The Peasant's Action.mp3 (1.9MB)
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