Железный Прут [Zheleznyy Prut] [English translation]

The iron rod has broken my spine

For I refused to pray

For I have broken my promise

By looking into mask-covered faces

The iron rod has broken my lips

So that I can only whine and sob

So that I will never forget the taste of blood

So that I will never talk about heaven

My eyes are crying tears of blood

From the insane laughter at this suffering

The iron rod has fallen out of my hands

Oh, how pleased God is with this punishment!

The iron rod has broken my elbows

For my hands refused to take

An executioner' axe - a symbol of forces of light

For they threw away that piece of rusty steel

The iron rod has impaled my heart

For it did not dare to accept

That it has been replaced by a stone

That it has stopped beating

My eyes are crying tears of blood

From the insane laughter at this suffering

The iron rod has fallen out of my hands

Oh, how pleased God is with this punishment!

I will punish myself, I will punish myself,

I will punish myself...

My eyes are crying tears of blood

From the insane laughter at this suffering

The iron rod has fallen out of my hands

Oh, how pleased God is with this punishment!

• Artist:Otto Dix