Unter'm Asphalt [English translation]

Beneath the concrete the dead are resting

Beneath the concrete wordless messengers

Beneath the concrete with their wisdom

Beneath the concrete they are lying silently1

Beneath the concrete beyond life

Beneath the concrete they are staring in vain2

Beneath the concrete with sand in their eyes

Beneath the concrete they are crawling blindly2

Beneath the concrete that deep on the bottom

Beneath the concrete there are no tidings2

Beneath the concrete the dead are hearing

Beneath the concrete only themselves anymore

The handful of years that I live

are too precious for me to give them away3

I trust my eyes and take you at your word /

And defend myself until my hand will wither

and I'll never be done with the world

as long as it will keep me alive

1. "lying" as in "lying down", not "telling lies". The former line belongs to the same sentence as this one2. a. b. c. The former line belongs to the same sentence as this one3. or "for me to forgive them ", with "them" referring to the years and being the second direct object (the first not being mentioned)