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# Translation: Song of Truth and Lie, by Visotsky
- URL: https://www.hawkword.com/poetry/translation-song-of-truth-and-lie-by-visotsky/
- Published: 2021-07-24T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2021-07-24T12:00:00.000Z
- Description: Gentle Truth wore just the finest, most beautiful dresses Looking her best for her audience, crippled by blight Lie, crude and jealous of Truth’s temporary successes Slyly invited her over to stay for the night
- Author: A. Gee
- Tags: Poetry, Allpoetry Import, #Import 2026-04-25 19:56

Gentle Truth wore just the finest, most beautiful dresses  
Looking her best for her audience, crippled by blight  
Lie, crude and jealous of Truth’s temporary successes  
Slyly invited her over to stay for the night

Gullible Truth, full of trust soon relaxed and slept easy  
Drooled on her pillow and smiled at her innocent dreams  
Cunning Lie took the whole blanket though the night was breezy  
Bit into Truth and enjoyed herself fully, it seems

Then she woke up and made Truth’s face the face of a creature  
What a plain creature, not worthy of warmth or caress  
Now there’s no difference between Lie and Truth, not their features  
‘They look the same, feel the same in their state of undress

Lie wove her hair into shiny gold braids, how becoming  
Grabbed some of Truth’s clothes without trying on, nice and lush  
Took her cash, watch, and her license, and all the while humming  
Spit, cursed with feeling and made her way out, in a rush

Only come morning did Truth understand what transpired  
Somewhat surprised, looked herself up and down, business like  
Who could have done this, who tarred her, the one so desired  
Sure she looked dirty, but all in all what’s not to like?

Truth laughed out loud when the stones came from every direction  
“This is a lie, and she is out there wearing my clothes”  
Two blighted cripples indicted her without reflection  
Calling her names and insulting her in plain old prose

Lastly, the indictment said in a most hurtful sentence  
(Truth was of course blamed for crimes that she didn’t commit)  
“This dirty hag, known as Truth, shows no shame or repentance  
She is a penniless whore without merit or wit ”

Truth, naked now, swore to God and swore oaths, crying loudly  
Wondered the earth, sickly, hungry and so short of cash  
While dirty Lie stole her horse, yea, a thoroughbred, proudly  
And rode away on its long skinny legs through the brush

Even today there are some that claim Truth as their mantle  
Fighting for Truth though their speeches lack any therein  
Pure, honest Truth can of course overcome and dismantle  
Lies -- when it does what is needed, what Lie’s done, to win

Often, as you down a shot after shot with your buddies  
Where will you spend the next night, how are you getting by  
Truth be told some will undress you and rob you, my laddies  
Watch as your pants are now worn by a treacherous Lie  
Your watch adorns the left hand of a treacherous Lie  
Watch as your horse is now ridden by a treacherous Lie

---

**Author notes:** this ballad bears such similarity to the story in the contest, I thought it made sense to post the translation here https://allpoetry.com/contest/2784294-Describe-a-Painting the original song by Visotsky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBKqkQ5OB8g russian lyrics https://songpros.ru/3/Vladimir-Vysotskiy/tekst-pesni-Pravda-i-loj