Jacek Kaczmarski - Pan Wołodyjowski

The Little Knight flies to heaven
torn into pieces by the explosion.
Turkish legions
crosses the Republic's borders.

The empire full of liberties cracks,
Neighbors will tear it apart quickly -
Like Sir Michał said to Basia, he'll say to God
his credo: Its nothing!

Trembles from crying Sir Zagłoba
over Poland's symbolic coffin
He doesn't call for blood - alone at the grave,
Because its easy to die; it's hard to live.

So knights' chests are tight with sobbing
a hero and a bully repents
in the face of such inconceivable death
About which Sir Michał said - Its nothing!

But is death nothing, or is it life
Battles, recons and affairs?
The Little Knight flies to heaven
The shortest way to heaven is from Poland.

He listened and served his share
with whirlwind, thrust, shallow feint
And now his work falls into ruin
So maybe he was right that its nothing!

The soldier didn't see his own wisdom
Busy with Basia and his sabre
Not to doubt, to believe in the meaning of sacrifice
Is an easy thing - sometimes it is great.

But then, contrary to cheering the hearts
To value only a tear on a cheek
And on the blue firmament
to draw with blood the motto - Its nothing!