Translation of the song Istrales artist Piero Marras

Un’istrale a sos cumpanzos

An ax stroke to the comrades 1

chi cumpanzos non sun prusu,

who are no longer comrades,

como attenden sos istranzos

now they’re attending to the strangers

cara a terra e fundu a susu.

face in the dirt and bottom in the air.

Un’istrale a sos cumpanzos

An ax stroke to the comrades

chi non lassen su masone

so that they don’t leave the flock

e una bella surra ‘e punzos

and a good flurry of punches

gai torramus a cumone.

that will bring us together again.

Un’istrale a sos cantores

An ax stroke to the cantors

de su binchidore nou,

of the new winner,

ratza mala ‘e brincadores

a bad race of turncoats2

chi in totube fachen s’ou.

who lay an egg anywhere.3

A sos battor moriteddos

To the four little Moors,4

chi los truvet s’istoria

may history prod them

che puntorzu a sos poleddos

like a goad to donkeys

gai lis torrat sa memoria.

so they’ll recover their memory.

A sa corte printzipale

To the main court5

chi a sos sardos cheret mudos,

that want Sardinians to be mute,

chene limba naturale

without a native language,

gai no semus limbudos.

so we won’t be mouthy.

A sos homines de nudda,

To the worthless men,

sos chi furan a sa zente,

those who kidnap people,

chene coro e chene tudda,

without heart, without valor,6

furan puru s’innotzente.

they kidnap even a helpless child.

Un’istrale a tie cumpare

An ax stroke to you, mate,

disizosu et abramidu

envious and greedy,

chi pro fachere dinare

who to make money

fintzas s’anima as futidu.

have fucked even your soul.

Un’istrale a tie cumpare

An ax stroke to you, mate,

e unu raju mannu mannu,

and a huge lightning stroke,

cun s’inferru a murr’a pare

may they find you within a year

chi t’acaten intro s’annu.

face to face7with hell.

Ammentaebos cuss’istrada,

Remember that road,

cuss’istrada ‘e mala sorte:

that damned highway:

chi Felice est numenada

at its appellation “Felice”8

s'inde riet puru sa morte.

even death laughs.

Ammentaebos cuss’istrada,

Remember that road,

ammentaebos sas rughes,

remember the crosses,

bos amparet sa torrada

may God protect your return

Deus in nottes chene luches.

in the unlit nights.

B’inde cheren de cosinzos

It takes a lot of boots

a la currere sa vida

to run through life

tra suore e pistichinzos

among sweat and worries

isetende sa bessida.

waiting to get out.

B’inde cheren de cosinzos

It takes a lot of boots,

ma b’at chie, sende sintzeru

but there’s someone, who is sincere,9

custa vida de mischinzos

and through this life of poverty

l’est currende iscurtzu a beru.

he is running really barefoot.