Bulat Okudzhava
Song About Fools

So nowadays it is the rule —
for every ebb there is a flow
for every wise man there’s a fool
and everything works out just so.

But fools find this arrangement galls —
from all sides you can see right through them.
People shout at the fools 'Fools! Fools!’
and this is very hurtful to them.

So to make fools less noticeable
and everybody still more equal
to wise men was affixed a label
to guarantee a happy sequel.

The label system never fails —
a poundsworth for a copper farthing.
People shout at the wise «Fools! Fools!»
and this way all the fools are laughing.

Translated by Keith Bosley, Dimitry Pospielovsky and Janis Sapiets