In Our Time.

The weight of years becomes a heavy cargo,
When one listens not to what his conscience says...
We often think, when look at our youngsters,
“In our time, it went another way!..”

In our time, it often went this way —
We used to pick for walking other roads.
In our time, it often went this way —
We used to use for speaking other words...
In our time, it often went this way.

Of course, no one is sinless ’mongst the youngsters,
We’ve also heard such words when we were young,
But we’ve gone through fire, water and pitch darkness
And hoisted our colors o’er Reichstag.

In our time, it sometimes went this way —
It happed so that we picked just the same roads.
In our time, it sometimes went this way —
It happed so that we used just the same words...
In our time, it sometimes went this way.

I say, and think, and know beyond doubt,
That youngsters, who’re light-hearted at this time,
Will be in the first line in their hour,
When comes to be another brutal time.

In our time, it also went this way —
We sometimes picked exactly the same roads.
In our time, it also went this way —
We sometimes used exactly the same words...
In our time, it also went this way.

For our time, we have no need of sweeteners,
Nor wish we rich headstones on our graves.
We’re treated with respect by our children,
And our fathers got from us the same.

In our time, we have to keep it up!
We’ve picked to walk the one and only road.
In our time, we have to keep it up!
The same is what gives rise to our souls.
In our time, we have to keep it up!

1966.