Original subtitles

Hail to the young couple on this festive occasion!

May eternal love, eternal bliss reign for the young couple!

For these two unite the ancient virtue of the union of two families: Pomian and Odrowaz!

They are equal in their traits, their beauty and their fortune!

What blissful fate holds in store for them!

Hail to fair Odrowaz and noble Pomian! Long live the young couple.

May eternal bliss and harmony never abandon you.

How perfectly dignified they are! Zofia, a perfect match for Janusz.

We wish you nothing but everlasting bliss and peace!

Gentlemen, brethren, your health! I thank you! Peace and love be with you!

Give us your blessing, father, if I may dare to call you that.

Your goodness has chosen the one whom I hold dear in my heart.

I have wished for a long time for this blissful union of your hearts

Give us your blessing, dear father, we ask for it dearly.

Give us your blessing.

Our Lord in heavens above, may thy will be done.

Like a young tree beaten by the wind my soul is helplessly torn apart.

What voice is this?

Where are you, my wreath of roses, where are you, my white lily?

What a sad song, Janusz, what does it mean?

He took everything from me, Janusz, my falcon he took me whole, poor girl that I am.

I don't know. Poor girl! Where does she come from with this song?

I look for him, I look for him everywhere, and I cannot find him...

- Who is singing in my garden? - That was Halka's voice! - That's strange!

Why does this girl come here just now? She comes here, insane with sadness!

With this song, a sad voice seems to say:

"Alas, if you have happiness and bliss, I have nothing but sadness and misery"

What a joy to see you are so kind-hearted towards that miserable being there.

- That voice of unhappiness, I know it well. - Yes, it is only right that we help her.

Where did she come from, against my will, her grief pains me, but it's too late.

If I see her again I can still her tears but then begone! I am afraid of her tears.

Why, in those moments of solitude, where the heart yearns and the soul rebels,

her face shone, framed by flaxen hair,

a charming smile from coral lips and two eyes under long lashes?

Why is my soul so troubled, like a river stirred up by the wind?

What has this poor orphan done, that she is forever in torment,

and with her torment I would share my grief!

Like a young tree beaten by the wind my soul is helplessly torn apart.

Where are you, my wreath of roses? Where are you, my white lily?

He took everything, Janusz, my falcon, he took me whole, poor thing that I am.

I look for him everywhere and I cannot find him!

Where are you, my falcon, my sunshine in a clear sky?

Like a wheat stalk abandoned in an empty field I die, I waste away without you.

And I look for him everywhere and I cannot find him!

Janusz, my darling!

Jontek told me it was you, who caused my misery, that you had abandoned me...

Now I see you, I rest my head on your breast, and you smile at me, tenderly as always!

My falcon, my sunshine, you love me truly as always!

Damnation! How can I lie, when her every tear tortures me.

My Halka, yes, I love you tenderly as always!

You need not suffer and despair. How could I abandon and forget you.

Now go! I wish not to worry my uncle, should he see us here together.

Do not fear! No one shall drive you from my heart.

Happiness mine! You still love me affectionately, as you always have.

Calm yourself... How could I forget you, abandon you!

- Hail! Hail! - Leave these desolate walls now.

Wait for me outside of the town, down by the river,

where the lofty cross and two statues stand.

I shall come alone. We'll flee from here.

We shall leave for our mountains. And we shall know bliss and paradise again...

- With whom did you come here? - My falcon! My beloved Janusz!

You love me as you always have.

Halka, go away, I implore you! I shall come for you later.

You will never leave me again? You will come back to our mountains?

I shall sit at the river-bank until he comes again and we shall be reunited at last.

I shall come again into our mountains. Only death will be able to separate us.

Our young master, where have you been? You must dance at a time like this!

You are indeed a fortunate man! Zofia is beautiful as a spark!

You talk and talk while the band plays on.

Our noble host, it's time to rest and you don't let up.

How royally you treat us!

Your esteemed house's health! And to their union!

May they live in bliss and happiness, hail to the young couple, hail!

Noble Sirs, honoured guests! I'm speechless, I can't thank you enough.

To see so many gathered here, your presence honours my humble house.

I'm glad to see you so concerned, that my one and only daughter

will soon leave her home to join Janusz in marriage.

The young among you, ready for anything, who love and trust me: dance away!

What would I give to kneel at the cross by the side of the road.

May the Holy Virgin, the Mother of God, have pity on my tears!

Poor orphan girl that I am I have suffered so much.

But where is Jontek?

There is a ball down there! And here it is night.

No, he won't abandon me, my falcon. He will go again with me into the highlands

and I shall be sad until he comes, but with him here I'll be in paradise again.

When the sun rises, I'll fly like a lark, like a swallow, I shall lift myself into the sky,

like a fish, I shall swim on the waves, my Janusz, I run to meet you.

But I am not a fish that dances in the river, no swift, no swallow, no lark.

Alone am I, and the wind sings to me: "Janusz will return".

If I were like a star, shining high above, I would look into a mountain spring,

I would like to look into your soul and into your heart,

like a will-o-the-wisp with a pale fire, my tears shone brilliantly for you!

But I can't shine like a star, and I'm not a will-o-the-wisp.

My lament floats over the evening dew: "Poor, unhappy girl!"

If my tears could shine with a light for him... If the moonlight could remind him of me...

If like a lark I could fly with the morning sun towards Janusz there!

But I am not a fish dancing in the river, not a lark, nor a swift swallow.

Only the wind sings: "Janusz will return!"

Yes, he will come back, my master, my Janusz, he will not abandon me.

See, Jontek, I'm miserable enough, why would you take my only joy from me?

I have seen him, I have heard him, my sweet sun! He will come back to me, he will not leave me.

- Your poor little heart! - It nearly burst, almost jumped out of my breast.

Jontek, why did you have to torment me!

- So have I troubled you in vain? - You are laughing?

Jontek, let us go away from this place! How dreadful it is here for a poor peasant girl.

You don't see how, you don't see where the sun rises...

You don't see how, you don't see where the sun sets...

These oppressive walls trouble me, let's flee to the mountains.

He'll be there, he'll await me outside the town.

You are still laughing!

Let us go then, if he's waiting for you, since he will have to follow us!

And you believe him, poor girl, that he is not deceiving you!

Surely, as the wind blows and the streams flow, he lied to you! He will not come.

You are naught to him but a poor peasant girl and he is nothing but your master!

You really believe that he did not deceive you?

Yes, I believe him!

You don't know what the love of a noble is for a poor girl.

His face and words are sweet as honey.

But his heart is of stone when it sees your tears! And you would believe the love of a noble?

Like the devil, he possessed your soul. Halka, you don't want to see how cruel he is!

I desired you as one desires rain in times of drought. I truly loved you.

He only had to look at you once, and you were his.

He stole your innocence, he took your soul, he took you whole.

Halka, my poor girl! Do you really believe that he's not deceiving you?

As sure as the wind blows and the streams flow, he lied to you! He will not come!

Do you really believe that we came here in splendour and bliss to watch your Janusz?

Down there, master Janusz leads the ball with his beautiful wife-to-be.

She is so beautiful! And our master is beautiful. He betrayed you!

Hail to the young couple! Eternal love! Eternal happiness!

- Let me in! The father of my child is inside! - Come, Halka, they will see you, let's leave!

- Janusz, can you hear me? - Halka, hurry, they will hurt you!

- Did I not tell you, why have you come back? - I brought her here, master.

How dare you take along this poor child out of the mountains far away?

Are you miserable in your village? Tell me quickly, what do you want?

Be damned! This poor girl must be insane!

Take her away from here immediately! Your master will not forget this, be sure of it!

Master, have pity! Her parents are dead. God is her only consolation for her bitter tears.

God will repay you for your pity on the unfortunate ones.

- Your master will repay you as you deserve it! - And God will repay you as you deserve.

- What a strange girl? - What does it all mean? - Halka, flee from here!

They told you to go away! Don't wait here any longer, go away!

Off to the servants with you. They will be happy to have you.

This girl here is so strange, and how sad indeed.

They told her to leave and still she sings, not heeding anyone.

- Get out! - You killed me!

Go now! Leave this feast! Go to the servants, they will feed you.

On sunday, after vespers, when the sun is still bright the peasant has a moment of relief.

He works hard all week, now let him have some fun. That is all he has.

Very soon the young master will appear with his young bride.

There will be a wedding soon at the manor. They won't forget about us!

The wedding will take place but we are still poor, pursued by misery.

Let's celebrate today, while we can.

Because tomorrow will be a hard day and afterwards harder still!

So let's rejoice on this happy day.

- Our good master will surely invite us to his wedding. - You have all succumbed to his charm!

- The master is so good, so gentle, so good looking! - That's how masters are - Oh, you women!

So let's rejoice on this happy day.

The sun is setting, dusk approaching and the mountain peaks disappear.

And we somehow feel more freedom and yet somehow we are sadder.

So let's rejoice on this day.

And the next day is so much harder, so let's rejoice mightily today.

Took, there they are, who are they? Who is the lad and who is the girl?

- Yes, it is Jontek... - But who is the girl?

God be with you, and give you joy. But where misery reigns, song and dance won’t help.

Then I cannot greet you with a song.

- But this is Halka! - It is Halka indeed! A girl from our village.

From where have you brought her, Jontek? How miserable she is, such a sorry sight.

I am coming back from town, from our master.

I am coming back from town, from our master, they have not recognized me, for I'm now like a bird.

Why did you fly here, my falcon, to cause my misery and pain?

Why did you trap and seduce the white dove?

Poor Halka! How she's changed! She's so haggard. We can't bear to look at her.

Yes, just a plaything for the master! This is how flirting ends.

Our master lies at the feet of his beautiful bride. No peasant girl is on his mind.

But he has not sold his soul to the devil for her!

- Tell us, Jontek, what happened down there. - I will tell you.

We arrived just at the time of the betrothal.

When he saw Halka, he tried all his flattery, he charmed her with his treacheries

and then he drove her out of town.

His lies I could no longer suffer. And I told him the truth.

Alas, he then had us chased outside the gates, like dogs.

You appear to me again. Again you want to deceive me, my falcon.

The white dove fluttered her wings above the mountain tops.

But her wings are no longer white, they are red, with her own blood.

She flapped her wings and, like a stone, she fell to the ground.

That's how it is with young girls. This is their fate.

Now, see there! A black raven flying over the meadow. surely a bad omen!

The dove has perished!

That's how it is with young girls. This is their fate, you poor girl!

This terrible sin is not yours, poor girl! Your sin weighs on somebody else.

There they are. They are coming!

Poor Halka, always thinking of her master! She'll surely die when she sees him with his bride.

Merciful Jesus, may your hand protect her.

Fir trees sigh on mountain tops life is sad when a young man’s heart grieves.

I don't blame anyone but you, Halka, my one and only.

When I was a boy, I scaled the high, black cliffs to find the nest of a little bird for you.

I would bring the most fragrant flowers, strings of coral from the fair, all for you.

You are the cause of my grief, my Halka, the fault is all yours.

Like a slender tree you've grown on me like a charm.

I would gladly throw myself into a fire for you.

Years go by like the wind, they flow like torrents, the master has arrived, and for him you rejected me.

I don't blame anyone but you, my Halka, my one and only, my beloved girl.

It is well that you have all arrived here, greet joyously your young beautiful lady.

We will greet her with delight, we will bow to her joyously...

- How are you my children? - Thank you, good sir.

- How are you my good people? - Thank you, master.

My God, it is she, and here!

- How are you? - Thank you, miss.

Have you all turned to stone? Shout your greetings louder now!

May God grant you long life and wealth! May your marriage be prosperous and happy!

But what is this... a poor girl... that frail lass, suffering...

I hope that she doesn't recognize her.

Yes, I am a poor girl, Janusz, my falcon, has abandoned me.

I am looking for him in vain, my dear bird has flown away.

- Such a poor girl with a pale, suffering face. - I remember her, I have seen her somewhere.

If she recognized her, she would despise him.

Pity them both. He barely abandoned one and another fell in love with him right away.

God have pity on a deceived, seduced, shunned girl.

If she'd only not recognize her. I tremble with shame and fear.

God, have mercy on poor Halka, shelter her misery with your care.

Her tears are my shame. I seduced her disgracefully.

The insane girl's voice calls out to God. Shelter her, lord, with your care.

I am not mistaken, I have seen her before!

Yes, my beloved, how can one forget this face. Her disturbed mind painfully dreams of something.

God knows how to punish a grave mistake. Maybe Zofia won't find out...

Quick, let's leave this place. But what shall I do with this poor girl?

- The dove now sits on the tomb... - What ails you, my poor girl, what ails you?

Let's go from here, let's go into the church. Night is already upon us and time is short.

May God grant you both long life and wealth! May your marriage be prosperous and happy!

- ...and suffering! - Who speaks thus? - No one!

Let's merrily join the young couple and sing for us when we return.

We'll merrily sing for you.

- How merrily... - Now that you have seen, do you understand?

- Where is my Janusz, where is my falcon? - Over there, look!

They stand quietly before the altar, they repeat the words of the priest.

- The bride weeps with each word. - Pity on you, Janusz, and pity on me.

Your Janusz smiles, but she cries. Poor lady, I am sorry for you.

- Pity on you, Janusz, my shining master. - Halka, your sorrow and tears will kill me!

Our Father, who art in heaven, Lord, grant us on earth your divine mercy.

My child is dying of hunger.

His mother is here, his father there.

The child is reaching out, looking pitifully. His mother is here, his father over there.

Even birds of prey feed their little ones, protect and caress them, while my child dies.

My little one, who will dress you and lay you down in your little coffin?

My little one, who will put you to sleep in your little coffin?

Who will rock you into everlasting sleep?

Where is your heart, Janusz, do you have one? Don't you see my tears of blood?

I shall take revenge! I shall set you on fire! Janusz, I am a mother and your wife!

I shall tear out your heart! To avenge my misery, I shall make you burn!

Janusz, my master, do you hear me?

- Mighty God, Holy God, have mercy on your people.

God, you are almighty. Have mercy on us.

For the sake of the suffering of your son, ease our sad fate.

Dry our tears, silence our piteous cries. Almighty God, have mercy on us.

God have mercy on your poor people! God bless us!

How could I ever kill you, my darling Janusz, my master!

Forgive the tears of your poor girl, forgive the death of our child.

Live on happily if not for me, then for your beautiful wife.

Sometimes, when alone, please pray for me. I am going to die and I forgive you!

- Halka! - It is too late! Poor Halka has passed away!

- It is time to bow down and sing before the master and his lady. - Let us sing merrily!