The Pirates of Penzance (or, The Slave of Duty), 

Act I: What ought we to do? (Edith, Kate, Girls, Mabel, Frederic) (1987 Digital）

EDITH

What ought we to do,

Gentle sisters, say?

Propriety, we know,

Says we ought to stay;

While sympathy exclaims,

"Free them from your tether

Play at other games--

Leave them here together."





KATE

Her case may, any day,

Be yours, my dear, or mine.

Let her make her hay

While the sun doth shine.

Let us compromise

(Our hearts are not of leather):

Let us shut our eyes

And talk about the weather.



GIRLS

Yes, yes, let's talk about the weather.



(Chattering chorus)

How beautifully blue the sky,

The glass is rising very high,

Continue fine I hope it may,

And yet it rained but yesterday.

To-morrow it may pour again

(I hear the country wants some rain),

Yet people say, I know not why,

That we shall have a warm July.

To-morrow it may pour again

(I hear the country wants some rain),

Yet people say, I know not why,

That we shall have a warm July.


Did ever maiden wake

From dream of homely duty,

To find her daylight break

With such exceeding beauty?

Did ever maiden close

Her eyes on waking sadness,

To dream of such exceeding gladness?



FREDERIC

Ah, yes!?ah, yes! this is exceeding gladness



GIRLS

How beautifully blue the sky, etc.


The glass is rising very high,

Continue fine I hope it may,

And yet it rained but yesterday.

To-morrow it may pour again

(I hear the country wants some rain),

Yet people say, I know not why,

That we shall have a warm July.

To-morrow it may pour again

(I hear the country wants some rain),

Yet people say, I know not why,

That we shall have a warm July.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOLO



(During this, GIRLS continue their chatter pianissimo as before, but listening intently all the time.)



FREDERIC

Did ever pirate roll

His soul in guilty dreaming,

And wake to find that soul

With peace and virtue beaming?

The glass is rising very high,

Continue fine I hope it may,

And yet it rained but yesterday.

To-morrow it may pour again

(I hear the country wants some rain),

Yet people say, I know not why,

That we shall have a warm July.

To-morrow it may pour again

(I hear the country wants some rain),

Yet people say, I know not why,

That we shall have a warm July.

Lyric by wechat chuanxi6