One evening, you're again
At the place where everyone hangs out.
A woman you don't know sits next to you,
And you smoke and drink, and speak with her.
And, because you need to try it with every woman,
You think that you're doing the right thing
When you ask if she wants to come with you --
And she doesn't say yes, she just nods silently.
Now she's lying next to you; you observe her,
And while you search for faults,
You think that she does this with every guy --
And that bothers you already after this night.
But you talk, before she leaves,
As though you don't care if you see each other again.
She also conceals what she's thinking from you;
Just writes something down and goes out the door.
That same evening, though, you stand
Half-drunk in front of her house.
She opens the door and asks you in
And you're almost disappointed -- she's alone.
You greet her, pay attention to her face,
But again you don't see what she's thinking.
And you decide never to go to her again
Because your afraid it'll make you go nuts.
You resist for two or three days,
Then you're lying next to her again.
You do the same for a week.
You don't betray yourself, and you feel sick.
And when you say, "You look pale, baby."
You're thinking of the nights when other guys are with her.
And you examine her face again --
Maybe she does cry at night; she doesn't say so.
And then -- you knew it for a long time --
You meet another guy with her.
Now you're feeling something in-between pain and rage;
How it hurts to be right!
You pull yourself together, you even smile;
You're talking, but you're not thinking clearly --
And you go when you think you need to scream --
Maybe she wanted you to do it.
This evening you're back again
At the place where everyone hangs out.
For you, it's the place that's right
Since you've regained your composure.
And you'll succeed in never being weak again --
Always on guard, and hard as a stone.
And a girl like that sits next to you again --
One of the kind who has yet to be ruined.