Gammalt porslin
En kung i Sachsen samlade porslin,
Men samlingsvurmen blef en riktig sjuka.
Han bytte bort till kungen i Berlin
Sitt garde – tänk – mot en kinesisk kruka!
Femhundra man med sabel och karbin,
Som preussarn visste att förträffligt bruka,
I exercisen smidiga och mjuka,
I krig en mur, tänk, mot – en blå terrin!
Femhundra man med hårpung och med puder!
Slikt dårhusdåd allt vanvett öfverbjuder
Från världens början – ja, så tycker ni.
Se’n bytet gjordes, har ett sekel svunnit:
Femhundra tappra hjärtan brista hunnit,
Den gamla krukan – hon står ännu bi.
Old china
A king in Saxony collected china,
This untamed urge though threatened to derange.
For with the Berlin king he went on to exchange
His guards – well! – since a Chinese vase was finer.
Five hundred men who with carbine and sabre
– Their use the Prussian knew quite by routine –
At drill were smooth and stylish in their labour,
In war a wall, well! – for a blue tureen.
Five hundred men with chignon and with powder!
No madman’s act to heaven could cry louder
Since time began – yes, you think this a fact.
A century has passed since this proceeding:
Five hundred valiant hearts have ceased their beating,
The vase in question – it is still intact.
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