Ob in Bombay, ob in Rio [English translation]

Whether in Bombay, Rio, and Shanghai

Day and night travels my Pierre

over the wide blue sea.

The course shows, I believe, towards Shanghai.

With the good old tiny boat1

he sails on the ocean,

but to where, that is not important to him.

Whether in Bombay, whether in Rio

What does it matter to me?

Because at the end of every journey,

my Pierre returns back home to me.

So please, dear wind,

drag him quickly over the sea,

accompany him around the world,

because my heart is so heavy

and I long so much

that his ship is in a harbor.

Whether in Bombay, whether in Rio

What does it matter to me?

Because at the end of every journey,

my Pierre returns back home to me.

Whether in Bombay, whether in Rio

What does it matter to me?

Because at the end of every journey,

my Pierre returns back home to me.

1. Literally a small inland boat, not ocean-going, which is likely an exaggeration in context.