| Tout au fond du camion,
| Deep in the back of the truck,
|
| Tout crispé par les vibrations
| All tensed by the vibrations
|
| Trois jours à naviguer
| Three days sailing
|
| Deux jours depuis le quai, à rouler
| Two days from the dock, riding
|
| Quitter la misère,
| Leaving misery,
|
| Pour aller se vendre au milieu de l’enfer?
| To go sell yourself in the middle of hell?
|
| A quoi servent les prières, qui ne rapportent pas le moindre salaire?
| Of what use are prayers, which bring not the least reward?
|
| Les autres compagnons
| The other companions
|
| Se serrent pour moins de frissons
| Tighten for less thrills
|
| Comment ne pas tenter
| How not to try
|
| Quand les tout-petits meurent sous votre nez
| When toddlers die right under your nose
|
| De l’autre coté de la mer,
| On the other side of the sea,
|
| Aller se vendre pour quelques billets verts
| Go sell yourself for some greenbacks
|
| A quoi servent les prières, qui ne rapportent pas le moindre salaire?
| Of what use are prayers, which bring not the least reward?
|
| Mais quand le camion s’est arrêté
| But when the truck stopped
|
| T’as compris que c'était terminé
| You understood that it was over
|
| La frontière était passée
| The border had passed
|
| Mais les flics t’avaient vite repéré
| But the cops quickly spotted you
|
| (parlé) Allez Les mains derrière le dos
| (spoken) Come on hands behind your back
|
| Ecarte les jambes et regarde par terre, allez
| Spread your legs and look down, come on
|
| A quoi servent les prières, à quoi?
| What are prayers for, what?
|
| Pourtant, tu sens encore l’eau salée du port
| Yet you still smell the salt water of the harbor
|
| Tu revois ta femme aux yeux pleins de trésors
| You see your wife again with eyes full of treasures
|
| Et tes mômes qui cavalent en riant si fort
| And your kids running around laughing so hard
|
| On te l’a dit qu’ici
| We told you that here
|
| Les gens ne veulent ni d’Ahmed, ni d’Hadji
| People don't want Ahmed or Hadji
|
| Ici, on veut oublier les colonies
| Here, we want to forget the colonies
|
| Que l’on a pillées de l’Afrique à l’Asie | That we plundered from Africa to Asia |
| Quoiqu’il arrive, il faut manger, tu reprendras le chemin de la terre et de la
| Whatever happens, you have to eat, you will go back to the land and the
|
| mer
| sea
|
| A quoi servent les prières qui ne rapportent pas le moindre salaire?
| Of what use are prayers that do not yield the least reward?
|
| Pourtant, tu sens encore l’eau salée du port
| Yet you still smell the salt water of the harbor
|
| Tu revois ta femme aux yeux pleins de trésors
| You see your wife again with eyes full of treasures
|
| Et tes mômes qui cavalent en riant si fort
| And your kids running around laughing so hard
|
| Mais quand le camion s’est arrêté
| But when the truck stopped
|
| T’as compris que c'était terminé
| You understood that it was over
|
| Tu revois ta femme aux yeux pleins de trésors
| You see your wife again with eyes full of treasures
|
| Et tes mômes qui cavalent en riant si fort
| And your kids running around laughing so hard
|
| La frontière était passée
| The border had passed
|
| Mais les flics t’avaient vite repéré
| But the cops quickly spotted you
|
| Tu revois ta femme aux yeux pleins de trésors
| You see your wife again with eyes full of treasures
|
| Et tes mômes qui cavalent en riant si fort
| And your kids running around laughing so hard
|
| En riant si fort. | Laughing so hard. |