Of the girl that I love,

As she lies here beside me

Asleep with the night,

And her hair, in a fine mist

Floats on my pillow,

Reflecting the glow

Of the winter moonlight.

She is soft, she is warm,

But my heart remains heavy,

And I watch as her breasts

Gently rise, gently fall,

For I know with the first light of dawn

I’ll be leaving,

And tonight will be

All I have left to recall.

Oh, what have I done,

Why have I done it,

I’ve committed a crime,

I’ve broken the law.

For twenty-five dollars

And pieces of silver,

I held up and robbed

A hard liquor store.

My life seems unreal,

My crime an illusion,

A scene badly written

In which I must play.

Yet I know as I gaze

At my young love beside me,

The morning is just a few hours away.

There are some sentences in the lyrics written in Present Perfect. Can you find them? Can you translate them into Hungarian? Can you transform the sentences into Past Simple?

Key

1. What have I done? – Mit tettem? – What did I do?

2. Why have I done it? – Miért tettem ezt? – Why did I do it?

3. I’ve committed a crime. – Bűntényt követtem el. – I committed a crime.

4. I’ve broken the law. – Áthágtam a törvényt. – I broke a law.

Simon and Garfunkel: El Condor Pasa

I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail
Yes I would
If I could, I surely would
I’d rather be a hammer than a nail.
Yes I would
If I only could, I surely would.

Away, I’d rather sail away
Like a swan that’s here and gone
A man gets tied up to the ground
He gives the world
Its saddest sound, its saddest sound

I’d rather be a forest than a street.
Yes I would
If I could, I surely would.
I’d rather feel the earth beneath my feet
Yes I would
If I only could, I surely would

Can you translate the Hungarian sentences into English?

1. Inkább lennék veréb, mint csiga.

2. Inkább lennék kalapács, mint szög.

3. Inkább elhajóznék.

4. Inkább lennék erdő, mint utca.

5. Inkább érezném a földet a lábam alatt.

Key:

1. I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail.

2. I’d rather be a hammer than a nail.

3. I’d rather sail away.

4. I’d rather be a forest than a street.

5. I’d rather feel the earth beneath my feet.

Listen to the song and fill in the gaps in the lyrics.

When you’re weary, feeling (1)…….,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I’m on your side. When times get (2)…..
And friends just can’t be found,
Like a bridge over troubled (3)…..
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over (4)……… water
I will lay me down.

When you’re down and out,
When you’re on the (5)…….,
When evening falls so hard
I will (6)………. you.
I’ll take your part.
When (7)…………. comes
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will (8)… me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will (9)… me down.

Sail on silvergirl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to (10)………
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a (11)……..
I’m sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your (12)……..

Key:

1. small

2. rough

3. water

4. troubled

5. street

6. comfort

7. darkness

8. lay

9. lay

10. shine

11. friend

12. mind

——————————

When you’re weary, feeling small,
When tears are in your eyes, I will dry them all;
I’m on your side. When times get rough
And friends just can’t be found,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

When you’re down and out,
When you’re on the street,
When evening falls so hard
I will comfort you.
I’ll take your part.
When darkness comes
And pain is all around,
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will lay me down.

Sail on silvergirl,
Sail on by.
Your time has come to shine.
All your dreams are on their way.
See how they shine.
If you need a friend
I’m sailing right behind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.
Like a bridge over troubled water
I will ease your mind.

Tudtad, hogy ezt a régi klasszikus dalt magyarra is lefordították? Sass Sylvia előadásában meghallgatható a YouTube-on. Ez a szövege:

Híd a romlás vizén

Ha már nem segít,
könny és szó,
szívedben már nincs más
csak a fájdalom,
megtörten állsz,
elhagy sok régi társ,
csak bennem bízhatsz már…
Mint egy híd,
mely a romlás vizén,
feszül majd eléd,
mint egy híd,
léted zajló vizén,
fekszem majd eléd!

Ha a mélyben jársz,
hol nincs már út,
mázsás nagy súly hull rád,
magányod földre sújt:
így vár az éj,
a szótlan vaksötét,
csak engem hívhatsz még…
Mint egy híd,
mely a romlás vizén,
feszül majd eléd:
mint egy híd,
léted zajló vizén,
fekszem majd eléd!

Álmod gyors hajó,
szállj fel rá,
szédült nagy fényt ne várj:
elmúlt már a csillogás!
új út vár rád,
s lépni félsz még,
hívj majd ha kell egy társ…
Mint egy híd,
mely a romlás vizén,
feszül majd eléd:
mint egy híd,
léted kavargó árján,
fekszem majd eléd,
csak hívj!