Mani Matter – Alls wo mir id finger chunt (English translation)

Translation by Gabs, see @gabsrants on Twitter

Links to the original Text and Video/Soundfile

On the day that I was born, or so they later said

my mother had just broken her favorite porcelain plate

and since then it has been my lot, until my life is spent

everything that I will touch will crumble in the end

As hard as I may try it doesn't matter anyhow

whatever was whole yesterday it is in shambles now

the heaps of rubble that I leave are all I can present

everything that I will touch will crumble in the end

I once knew a girl it is a tale both sad and true

the girl was made of porcelain with hair of darkest hue

but suddenly she told me that we were no longer friends

everything that I will touch will crumble in the end

And when I then embraced her for our very last goodbye

I hugged her out of love so fiercely that she had to die

I did not mean to do it, please believe me, I repent!

everything that I will touch will crumble in the end

They carted me to court and yesterday they strung me up

And just as I was hanging there, who ever would have thought

The hangman's rope it broke just at the very last moment

everything that I will touch will crumble in the end

I am a Vagrant ever since and I will never work

I hope that you kind people can see that I'm not a jerk

So reach into your purses, give whatever you can spend

everything that I will touch will crumble in the end