Translation of the song Malu 'ighinu artist Maria Giovanna Cherchi

Su cane at mussigadu a su ‘ighinu,

The dog has bitten my neighbour,

at nadu chi mi la faghet pagare

he said that he’ll make me pay

proite pensat chi bi l’apo ‘etadu,

because he thinks that I’ve incited it,

e cando mai podet pensare custu?

but how can he think so?

Su cane at fattu su dovere suo.

My dog did its duty.

At bidu zente intrande a domo sua:

It saw people coming into its house:

sa domo est sa mia “e così sia!”.

it’s my house, and so be it!

At nadu chi fit intrande a saludare

He said he was coming in to say hello,

pro narrer bonasera a mesanotte.

yeah, to say “good evening” at midnight.

Su limone e s’aranzu fit tocande,

But he was touching my lemons and oranges,

attr’e che chi saludos a cust’ora!

certainly not to say hello at such an hour!

Tando fit issu su malefattore,

Then he was the malefactor,

pro cussu mancaiat totu sa frutta:

that’s why all the fruit was missing:

su muru bassu brincadu at e a intro.

he jumped over the low wall and got in.

Podes pensare a su ‘ighinu tuo:

You can think of your neighbour:

malu puzone, tue fis su matzone!

evil bird, the fox was you!

Cuadi sa cara in d’unu rincone,

Hide your face in a corner,

dimanda si ti serbit carchi cosa.

ask, if you need something.

Su cane meu non cheret chi li tochen

My dog doesn’t want anyone to touch

s’aranzu e su limone de su mere.

its master’s oranges and lemons.

Discùlpalu e càgliadi sa ‘ucca,

Forgive it and shut your mouth,

in donzi parte de su mundu est gai.

in every part of the world it's the same.

Chie tocat su chi non depet tocare

Whoever touches what he shouldn’t touch

bantos ‘e pedra podet isperare,

can only expect harsh treatment,

no isperet chi li manden sa gràtzia

he can’t expect to have grace

cando si ponet mere de s’anzenu.

when he takes possession of other people’s things.

Malu fattore cun su muru bassu!

Malefactor, with a low wall!

Brincadu at su matzone fura-pudda

So the chicken-stealer fox has jumped:

cuadi sa cara in d’unu rincore

hide your face in a corner,

dimanda cando non ti serbit nudda

ask, when you need anything,

limone, aranzu, o siat chibudda.

be it a lemon, an orange or an onion.

Discùlpalu e càgliadi sa ‘ucca,

Forgive it and shut your mouth,

in donzi parte de su mundu est gai.

in every part of the world it's the same.

Tando fit issu su malefattore,

So it was he the malefactor,

pro cussu mancaiat totu sa frutta:

that’s why all the fruit was missing:

su muru bassu brincadu at e a intro.

he jumped over the low wall and got in.

Podes pensare a su ‘ighinu tuo:

You can think of your neighbour:

malu puzone, tue ses su matzone!

evil bird, you are the fox!

Cuadi sa cara in d’unu rincore

Hide your face in a corner,

dimanda si ti serbit carchi cosa.

ask, if you need something.

Su cane meu non cheret chi li tochen

My dog doesn’t want anyone to touch

s’aranzu e su limone de su mere.

its master’s oranges and lemons.

Discùlpalu e càgliadi sa ‘ucca,

Forgive it and shut your mouth,

in donzi parte de su mundu est gai.

in every part of the world it's the same.