Many, many thanks to Leea for looking over and correcting, where needed, my translations. Further translations/suggestions would be gratefully accepted; neither of us is fluent in Hungarian, although Leea is a lot closer to it than I am!
No attempt has been made to do anything other than convey the approximate meaning of the Hungarian translation of these songs, for comparison to the originals.
Max:
I can not do it...
Elisabeth:
What you wish for, that's all that I wish for.
Max:
In my opinion, it's out of the question!
Elisabeth:
I too would continually write poems, or would gallop with the wind,
I would be exactly like you!
Max:
Life is too short for one to be bored. And I hate family gatherings like the plague.
Elisabeth:
Me too...
Why could I not be allowed to climb onto the wild cherry tree, tell me!?
Max:
Be cheerful, since Helene's fate bypasses you....
Elisabeth:
And why can't I dance on the tightrope?
Max:
...they're bringing the poor thing up to be Empress....
Elisabeth:
If I play with the big boys, the governess always scolds.
Max:
That's not my department.
Elisabeth:
She goes on and on about that, not proper!
Max:
In this, how could I help?
Elisabeth:
Why couldn't you take me with you after all?
Max:
If you behave, you might see me tomorrow evening.
Elisabeth:
Zulu-land, or China, or maybe...Katmandu?
Max:
I have to go!
Elisabeth:
I would live like a wild gypsy girl, like a free musician,
Only thus would I live,
Max:
Adieu, Sisi.
Elisabeth:
I would only daydream.
Max:
Be good!
Elisabeth:
I would be exactly like you.
Útvesztõ Minden Út
Every path is a maze, everything only comes back,
(not in the German version)
There's no day if night doesn't come.
Consider the ghosts, they pull on fate's string,
How arrogantly, yet how fallibly.
Every soul searches for me,
Every ghost waits for me,
Everything only returns to me.
Perhaps you hear my name derided,
Yet I am beautiful
To one who wishes to get away from here.
In that way I see each, that
My work is still quite a lot....
Yes, but here you are,
And you come precisely when I would be weary of it.
Since I've watched you,
Your light blinds me,
Illusion now paralyzes me.
My choice would be to warm up with you a little,
I regret that I have to be cool.
It's also a fact that earthly life
Already attracts me a little.
Why would I resist your allure?
Dangerous feeling,
In any case it already hurts me
To be the executioner, although I play the lover....
But our destinies are written thus:
You have to go,
And I must wait for you.
I know that, in the course of things,
You will ultimately fall in love with me, you will be my lady in the night forever!
The final, the dance of death,
That's owed only to me.
The last dance, the last dance,
You're dancing with me too!
Already it's getting late,
The wine is spoiled,
Between the mirrors, the hall is almost boiling,
Merely staring, the crowd laughs, whispers,
They watch our rendezvous with hungry eyes.
The dance of death, the last dance,
That's owed only to me,
The last dance, the dance of death,
You're dancing it with me too!
Every night I watch you attentively,
I, the biggest loser!
Someday I'll win you easily!
The dance of death, the last dance,
That's owed only to me,
The last dance, the dance of death,
You're dancing it with me too!
The dance of death, the last dance,
That's owed only to me,
The last dance, the dance of death,
You're dancing it with me too!
The dance of death, the last dance,
That's owed only to me,
The last dance, the dance of death,
You're dancing it with me too!
If the trapeze lets me fly, if the thin ice can support me,
If danger is a whim, that's marvellous, that's wonderful!
But understand, if I didn't take risks, I would no longer be!
If you would protect me from misfortune, exactly that will be the misfortune, so that life will only be a burden on me.
Like a falcon, someday I'll fly towards another land, if compulsion shackles me!
If a star shouts down, if it calls for me, I leave!
The universe is my home, the clouds are the masters.
If I only got knowledge from books, that would no longer be me!
And it repulses me, if many favourites and petitioners intrude,
And it alarms me, if they stalk me, and delights me if none at all come.
One whom this barbaric mob doesn't hurt, that would no longer be me!
And you may lose me, believe me, if you imprison me,
I'll fly away from your nest,
In order for you to hold onto me, I have to believe already:
The life which I live is mine!
I need a partner, a friend, who defends me, who embraces me.
Who understands me, and helps me if consolation or fun are needed.
Nevertheless allow me to live without restraint, like a spirit,
Because in that way only will I be! Only in that way!
Rudolf:
I didn't forget your appearance.
I was afraid; and you always said
You would come when I call you.
Halál:
Well, see, I'm helping you.
Both:
Today the shadow grew tall,
But the insane world no longer sees,
The ratcatcher is still going,
The dance is going by the golden calf!
But today the shadow grew tall, this is already its end,
Midnight is near!
Rudolf:
It hurts that my hands are tied,
I see how it is ruined,
How life plunges into destruction,
It hurts and I'm afraid....
Halál:
There's also nothing worse for you,
After all, you must now watch, idly,
How your world may be damned.
Rudolf:
This hurts me very much.
Both:
Today the shadow grew tall,
An additional harsh verse is coming,
The devil trap is still working,
But people are blind, and thus there's no hope,
Since the shadow's growing above.
The end's already near, why not cry out?
Halál:
What's holding you back, then?
You need power!
Why, seize it!
Do it in self-defense!
Rudolf:
What an act!
Both:
After all, the shadow grew tall,
Only justifiable self-defense, see!
After all, we know the game's over,
And this mob from what it doesn't even see,
But the shadow grew tall,
Be Emperor, Rudolf,
And forestall destiny!
I'm asking for you to look down to me,
You would be able to see yourself in me,
Then maybe you would understand
Words which they leave unsaid,
You roughly pushed away the mirror that you hated in me!
I would long for you, but my longing doesn't reach you.
I watch only you...see an idol...a rock.
You don't even see me anymore, I believed appearances deceive.
I gave a hundred signals so that you would understand there's trouble,
But between us the wall is already solid.
I'm asking for you to look down to me, your image
Why don't you see it anymore?
Maybe I would say it, maybe you would feel how it hurts.
Elisabeth:
What do you want from me? What's needed? Why did you come?
Rudolf:
My mother, that you save me!
I feel the end is here; I must get away, but there is no excuse for a divorce.
My good reputation is ruined, there's a scandal right now whatever happens.
I asked for the pope, but my father opposes it.
Perhaps you could still help me.
Elisabeth:
Spare me, I ask you that!
Rudolf:
My wife is just a burden on my back,
The court is a curse on me!
Elisabeth:
There is no action I shall take for you!
Rudolf:
This goal, well, it'll be your protection!
Oh, I implore it,
Use your influence, please!
My father also listens to you!
Elisabeth:
I've long since sent the Emperor away.
I wouldn't request anything from him,
I wouldn't ask for it, I won't ask it for you either.
Elisabeth:
No, although I suspect it.
Ferenc József:
Come home, Sisi. The two of us belong together. I still believe so. I love you. And it is said that love heals every wound.
Elisabeth:
In our hearts are sentiment and strength, but there are things it just doesn't undo.
Belief is strong, but you see it doesn't exempt us.
Perhaps we waited for a miracle, yet there's nothing.
If there was formerly something in common, it came to an end.
Like two galleys on the night's sea, but our fate is more like
You go in that direction, and I in this direction!
The current has barely twined us together, but life already tears us apart.
And there's no way out, and no longer any hope.
Franz Joseph:
If you always aim too high, a little doesn't come either!
Elisabeth:
Maybe you are half-hearted!
Franz Joseph:
We take care of each other well, let that be the only goal!
Elisabeth:
How exceedingly simple!
Both:
Try once to see through my eyes!
Then maybe we'd be able to reach each other after all.
Like two galleys on the night's sea,
But our goals are already different, you go in that direction, and I in this direction!
The current has barely twined us together, but life already tears us apart.
Tell me, why did the light in us fade?
Elisabeth:
You and I, two galleys on the night's sea,
Franz Joseph:
Don't hurt me then, don't leave me,
Don't cast me aside!
After all, I would love you!
Elisabeth:
But our goals are already different, you go in that direction, and I in this direction!
Franz Joseph:
Don't hurt me then, don't leave me,
Don't cast me aside!
The loneliness doesn't help!
Both:
The current twines us together a little, but fate separates us!
Tell me, why did the light in us fade?
Franz Joseph:
Don't cast me aside!
Elisabeth:
Well, believe: what's gone is no more!
Elisabeth:
Give me a home....set me free from earthly cares,
Wipe out the traces of my existance, shine light through the night.
Halál:
Come, leave life!
Both:
With you I step into non-existance, we are already becoming pure fire,
Our eternal celestial peace awaits.
Elisabeth:
Sometimes I trusted, sometimes I wept, there were a lot of tears, and a lot of serenity.
The world didn't understand, because I was faithful to myself.
Both:
If there was sin, if there was virtue, that's my secret,
Elisabeth:
Because I will only be that way!
Halál:
You are only mine!