Songs

Az ördög elvitte a fináncot

by György Ligeti From Öt Arany-dal (5 Arany Songs) (1952)

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Text & Translation

Az ördög elvitte a fináncot
Hungarian source: János Arany

Jött az ördög hegedűszóval,
elvitte a fináncot,
és minden asszony így kiált:
"Belzebúb, éljen a táncod!"

Az ördög e tánccal oda van,
oda van a finánccal.

"Cefrét verünk, főzünk italt,
lakomát csapunk, nagy táncot:
Szépen köszönjük, hogy viszed,
Belzebúb, a fináncot!"

Az ördög...

The devil has taken away the taxman
English translation © Laurie Anne McGowan

The devil came along playing the violin,
he took the taxman away with him;
and all the women called out:
'Beelzebub, long live your dance!'

The devil is gone with his dance,
is gone with the taxman.

'We're mixing the mash, brewing the drink,
setting the banquet, dancing:
we are giving thanks, Beelzebub,
that you took the taxman with you!'

The devil is gone...

Az ördög elvitte a fináncot
Hungarian source: János Arany

The devil has taken away the taxman
English source: Laurie Anne McGowan

Jött az ördög hegedűszóval,
The devil came along playing the violin,
elvitte a fináncot,
he took the taxman away with him;
és minden asszony így kiált:
and all the women called out:
"Belzebúb, éljen a táncod!"
'Beelzebub, long live your dance!'

Az ördög e tánccal oda van,
The devil is gone with his dance,
oda van a finánccal.
is gone with the taxman.

"Cefrét verünk, főzünk italt,
'We're mixing the mash, brewing the drink,
lakomát csapunk, nagy táncot:
setting the banquet, dancing:
Szépen köszönjük, hogy viszed,
we are giving thanks, Beelzebub,
Belzebúb, a fináncot!"
that you took the taxman with you!'

Az ördög...
The devil is gone...

Composer

György Ligeti

György Sándor Ligeti was a Hungarian-Austrian composer of contemporary classical music.

Poet

János Arany

János Arany was a Hungarian journalist, writer, poet, and translator. He wrote over 102 ballads, which have been translated into over 50 languages.

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