Translation of the song Fibai e tessi artist Randagiu Sardu

A fibai e tessi no podit essi, a tessi e fibai no poit essi mai

You can't spin and weave at the same time, weaving while spinning can't be done

ma lassai de tessi e fibai de pressi po torrai a tessi ge podit essi.

But if you stop weaving and spin quickly, then weave again, this can be done.1

Bivu in d’ua terra abini s’ogu liau si curat cun sa mexia,

I live in a place where the evil eye is cured with an elixir,2

abini nant ca est su turista ca s’imbrutat sa ‘ia.

where they say that tourists are the ones who litter the roads.

Si, ma cumenti fait unu turista a nci scavuai ua coxia

Yeah, but how can a tourist throw away a kitchen stove

candu in su sattu no nci at matas, nci at sceti corromatzia?

if in the countryside there isn’t any tree left, there is only junk?

Deu mi tocu in basciu comenti candu bobat sa stria

When I hear a Sardinian saying “our Italy, my Italy…”

candu intendu u sadru nai “Italia nostra, Italia mia…”

I grab my crotch3as when an owl4flies around.

Misenia de custa terra, a custa terra misenia:

Misery of this land, miserable land is this:

no nci at essi meda axia ma seus preus de cotzia.

maybe there aren’t many grapes but there’s plenty of stumps5

Apu scipiu ca su mundu spàciat de siguru

I’ve heard that the world will certainly end

candu spàciant is traballus me in sa 131

when the works on the road 131 will end.6

Apu scipiu ca at a spaciai po fintzas sa birra

I’ve heard that even the beer will end

candu nci eus a bogai u pagheddu ‘e merda de Quirra.

when we’ll get rid of a bit of shit in Quirra.7

Est totu a postu: a chini cantat inglesu o tedescu

But it’s all okay: someone sings in English or in German

chi teneis a custa terra cantai in sadru prus a prestu.

For the sake of this land you should rather sing in Sardinian.

Su nucleari arribat, est siguru ca ge arribat

The nuclear waste will arrive, no doubt it will arrive,

e seus propriu nosu a ddi fai sattai s’arrastu?

and are we the right ones to make it change course?8

O calloni!

Fucking idiot!

A fibai e tessi no podit essi, a tessi e fibai no poit essi mai

You can't spin and weave at the same time, weaving while spinning can't be done

ma lassai de tessi e fibai de pressi po torrai a tessi ge podit essi.

But if you stop weaving and spin quickly, then weave again, this can be done.

A chi’ si pigat macchinoni, inci at crisi,

Someone buys a big car – there is crisis

a chi’ si bistit de marca, inci at crisi,

Someone dresses in designer clothes – there is crisis

ua birra costat troppu, inci at crisi.

A beer is too expensive – there is crisis

Mi ‘ois a cantai? depis pagai ca inci at crisi.

Do you want me to sing? You must pay because there is crisis.

Ca sa Sardigna est afundendi ddu bis,

You see that Sardinia is sinking

ca est crupa de s’Italia ddu scis,

You know it’s Italy’s fault

no fais nudda po mellus bivi.

You don’t do anything to live better

Sa crupa est sa nostra e du scis

It’s our fault and you know

ca seus unius…

that we are united…

Sissi, ma cun d’ua bella trassa,

yeah right, but with a big scam:

de basciu a in susu no fait a andai mancu a cassa

from south to north you can’t even go hunting

chi poi ‘ois andai a ndi segai u pagheddu e crodoiu

and if you want to go and pick a few mushrooms

no ti ddu faint mancu bi’ ni mannu ni pitiu, e intza’:

they don’t even let you see them, neither large nor small, so:

a dabori ‘e conca, setziu me in su bar

with a headache, sitting in the bar

setzi, ca costat tropu su parchégiu a mari;

sit down, parking by the sea is too expensive;

a dabori ‘e conca, setziu me in su bar

with a headache, sitting in the bar

setzi, costat prus pagu u giru de Campari

sit down, a round of Campari is cheaper9

A fibai e tessi no podit essi, a tessi e fibai no poit essi mai

You can't spin and weave at the same time, weaving while spinning can't be done

ma lassai de tessi e fibai de pressi po torrai a tessi ge podit essi.

But if you stop weaving and spin quickly, then weave again, this can be done.

Aintr’e cresia spibionendu a tot’is santus,

Inside the church, praying to each saint one by one,

preghendu a Gesu Cristu chi agiudit a totus.

praying to Jesus Christ that helps everyone.

A fora de sa cresia murrungendu a murrus trotus,

Outside the church grumbling and pouting,

preghendu a ddus spedri, a ddus biri totus mottus…

praying that they be wrecked, wishing to see them dead…

E su Randagiu sighit - pump up the volume -

And the Stray10 keeps on - pump up the volume –

e is atrus chi sighint a pompas de Valium.

and the others keep on masturbating with the Valium11

Su mari est sempri prus nieddu,

The sea is getting more and more black,

in s’interis innoi sparessit sa terra chi apu connotu a piciocheddu.

in the meantime, the country I knew when I was a boy is vanishing.

Narànt ca su sonu si podiat uni’:

They said that the sound could unite us:

de candu seu sonendu no mi point mancu bi’.

since I’ve been playing music they can’t even stand my sight

Tenia ua surra ‘e genti chi fiat sempri acanta

I always had a lot of people on my side

e imoi mi ’oint coberri mancai siat chentz’e manta.

and now they want to cover me even if have no blanket.12

E inc’esti puru chi’ si spantat, facci bella ananti

And there are also those who wonder, they paste on a smile in front of me

fintzas a candu innoi cancunu no scramentat.

until someone here will learn the lesson.

Ma custa terra a nosu totus si spetat

However, this land should really belong to all of us

e intzandus a sa salludi e bonu proi si fetzat!

So, cheers, and much good may it do you!

A fibai e tessi no podit essi, a tessi e fibai no poit essi mai

You can't spin and weave at the same time, weaving while spinning can't be done

ma lassai de tessi e fibai de pressi po torrai a tessi ge podit essi.

But if you stop weaving and spin quickly, then weave again, this can be done.