Cantata on the Day of Lenin’s Death (Cita miserable de la semana)

1.

The day Lenin passed away
A soldier of the death watch, so runs the story, told his comrades: I did not want to
Believe it. I went inside, and
Shouted in his ear: ‘Ilyich
The exploiters are on their way!’ He did not move. Now
I knew that he has expired.

2.

When a good man wants to leave
How can you hold him back?
Tell him why he is needed.
That holds him.

3.

What could hold Lenin back ?

4.

The soldier thought
When he hears, the exploiters are coming
He may be ever so ill, he will still get up
Perhaps he will come on crutches
Perhaps he will let himself be carried, but
He will get up and come
In order to confront the exploiters.

5.

The soldier knew, that is to say, that Lenin
Throughout his life, had carried on a struggle
Against the exploiters.

6.

And the soldier who had taken part
In the storming of the Winter Palace wanted to return home, because there
The landed estates were being distributed
Then Lenin had told him: stay on!
The exploiters are there still.
And so long there is exploitation
One must struggle against it.
So long as you exist
You must struggle against it.

7.

The weak do not fight. The stronger
Fight on perhaps for an hour.
Those who are stronger still fight for many years
The strongest fight on all their life.
These are indispensable.

7.

Hay hombres que luchan un dia y son buenos.
Hay otros que luchan un año y son mejores.
Hay quienes luchan muchos años y son muy buenos.
Pero hay los que luchan toda la vida: esos son los imprescindibles.

Bertolt Brecht