Translation of the song Mačka artist Ibrica Jusić

U gradu, nije važno ime,

In a city of insignificant name,

u praznoj sobi, kaže priča,

And an empty room, starts the story,

i usred ljeta, usred zime,

Where in summer and autumn,

ja vidim tužnoga mladića.

I can see the distressed lad.

On živi sam i ko zanesen

He lives alone and delirious,

u svom svijetu od papira,

In his world of paper,

a vani sunce, kiša, jesen,

In this sunny, and rainy autumn,

a vani vergl nešto svira.

While organist plays outside.

No jednog dana šum kraj vrata,

One day, he heard a sound,

to netko neznan ući želi

Stranger who wished to come

u njegov život, poput tâta,

Into his life, like a thief,

da njegovu samoću dijeli.

To share his loneliness.

A vani zima, vani sniježi,

It was cold and it snowed,

i pored praga mačka leži,

And by the doorstep cat lay,

on pruža ruke, kô da sanja,

He extended his dreamy arms,

a vani zora - svjetlost danja.

And the dawn broke.

No, u tom času, u tom trenu

In that moment, in that instant,

pred sobom vidje nagu ženu,

He saw before himself a naked woman,

i on joj reče: budi moja,

To whom he said: be mine,

a ona kaže: ja sam tvoja.

And she replied: I'm yours.

I sve što ima mladić skupi

All that he owned, he collected,

i stavi trgovcu na vagu,

And sold it to the merchant,

da prstenje od zlata kupi

So he could buy golden rings

i haljinu za svoju dragu.

and a dress for his darling.

Da, zlato želi, al ne haje

Yes, she wants gold, but not

za skromnu halju što joj daje,

the modest dress he gives to her,

i tužni mladić svako veče

Therefore, every night the lad

u novu krađu opet kreće.

Goes to loot again and again.

Jer, on je želi, on je ljubi,

Because he wants her, he loves her,

i volio bi da je mazi,

And he would like to caress her,

a zna da svoju ljubav gubi

But he knows he loses her

bez darova i ruku praznih.

Without gifts and empty-handed.

I riješi sada, još ove noći,

Then he decided to go once more,

u zadnju krađu on će poći,

To the last loot of his life,

i u zoru se mladić vrati

And in the morning he returned,

da strašnim novcem ljubav plati.

With blood-money for the love.

I donese joj dragi kamen

He brought her gemstone

u svijetu najveći od sviju,

The greatest of them all,

u kom se, kao jedan plamen,

In which all fires of the world

sve vatre ovog svijeta kriju.

In one flame have been hidden.

I vidje - žena ruke pruža

He saw the woman stretch her hands

i ljubi kamen kao muža,

And kiss the stone like a groom,

i kao što njega nikad nije

And as she never warmed him,

uz tijelo hladan kamen grije.

she warmed the cold stone.

I dok se njemu lice grči

While his face twitched,

u sobu uđe miš i trči,

A mouse run into the room,

i kao mačka skoči žena,

And as a cat, the woman jumped,

na plen se baci istog trena.

And threw herself on the prey.

I stiže ga, a njeni zubi

She caught him, and her teeth

već traže meso koje peče,

Seek the flesh which is hot,

i ženi koju mladić ljubi

And blood poured from the mouth

sa kuta usne krv poteče.

Of the woman who has been loved.

U strahu mladić oči sklopi -

In terror, the lad closed his eyes,

te strašne slike neka odu,

He wanted those sights to pass,

on vidje lađu što se topi,

But he saw the sinking boat,

i svoju ljubav na tom brodu.

And just his love aboard.

A kada opet nađe snage

When he had found strength,

on digne vjeđe - žene nema,

And opened his eyes, there was no woman,

i tada mjesto svoje drage

But instead of his darling,

on vidje mačku kako drijema.

He saw just a cat napping.

Kroz prozor uđe svjetlost danja,

Daily light came trough the window,

on pruža ruke, kô da sanja,

And he extended his dreamy arms,

sad opet samo mačku ima,

To touch the only cat he has,

a vani studen, snijeg i zima.

In this cold, snowy winter.