I neither drank nor sang that night,
I gazed at her with all my might,
As kids would stare, As kids would stare.
But he, who was with her before,
He said to me: ”You’d better go.”
He said to me: ”You’d better go,
Your prospect’s bare.”

And he, who was with her before
Was rude and crude to me and more...
I can recall it - I wasn’t boozy!
When I made up my mind to quit
She said to me: ”Please, wait a bit.”
She said to me: ”Please, wait a bit,
I ain’t too busy!”

But he, who was with her before,
He met me later on that fall -
The lane was narrow, Eight men would block it.
My friend and I were only two
When they emerged out of the blue,
When they emerged out of the blue -
Hands in the pockets!

Upon my life! I got a knife,
It’s gonna be a deadly strife!
Hold on, you bastards, Hold on, you bastards!
Why should I perish all in vain?
I pounced first and then again,
I pounced first and then again -
Had to be faster!

But he, who was with her before,
Resented ending in a draw,
He really meant it, He really meant it!
Somebody clubbed me. Shrieked my mate:
“Look out!” But it was too late,
“Look out!” But it was too late,
In blood I weltered.

Stay on your trail and never wail -
There is a hospital in jail,
There I was dying, There I was dying...
They cut me up from heel to eye,
The surgeon said: ”Try not to die!”
The surgeon said: ”Try not to die!”
And I was trying.

Our parting passed in seconds flat,
She failed to wait till I came back,
But I forgive her, exonerate her...
By her betrayal I set no store,
But he, who was with her before,
But he, who was with her before -
I’ll see him later!