Poo-Bah: To ask you what you mean to do,
We punctually appear.

Ko-Ko: Congratulate me, gentlemen,
I've found a volunteer!

Chorus: The Japanese equivalent for "Hear, hear hear!"

Ko-Ko: 'Tis Nanki-Poo.

Chorus: Hail, Nanki-Poo!

Ko-Ko: I think he'll do.

Chorus: Yes, yes he'll do.

Ko-Ko: He yields his life if I Yum-Yum surrender.
Now I adore that girl with passion tender
And could not yield her with a ready will,
Or her allot, if I did not
Adore myself with passion tenderer still.
With passion tenderer still.

Chorus: Ah, yes, he loves himself with passion tenderer still.

Ko-Ko: Take her. She's yours.


Nanki-Poo: The threatened cloud has passed away
Yum-Yum: And brightly shines the dawning day.
NP: What though the night may come too soon
YY: There's yet a month of afternoon.

Chorus: Then let the throng our joy advance,
With laughing song and merry dance.
With joyous shout, with joyous shout and ringing cheer
Inaugurate, inaugurate their brief career!

Poo-Bah: As in a month, you've got to die
If Ko-Ko tells us true, 'twere empty compliment to cry.
"Long Life to Nanki-Poo!"
But as one month you have to live as fellow citizen,
This toast with three times three we'll give --
Long life, long life to you.
Long life to you till then.

Chorus: May all good fortune prosper you.
May you have health, may you have health and riches too.
May you succeed in all you do, in all you do!
Life long to you!

Katisha: Your revels cease!
Assist me, all of you!

Chorus: Why, who is this whose evil eyes
Rain blight on our festivities?

Katisha: I claim my perjured lover, Nanki-Poo!
Oh fool to shun delight that never cloy!

Chorus: Go leave thy deadly work undone.

K: Come back, oh, shallow fool,
Come back to joy.

Chorus: Away, away, ill-favored one!

K: No, you shall not go.
These arms shall thus enfold you.

Yum-Yum: Away nor prosecute your quest,
From our intention, well expressed, you cannot turn us!
The state of your connubial views
Towards the person you accuse does not concern us!

For he's going to marry Yum-Yum (Chorus: Yum-Yum!)
Your anger pray bury, for all will be merry!
I think you had better succumb (Chorus: Cumb-cumb!)
And join our expressions of glee.

On this subject I pray you be dumb (Chorus: Dumb-dumb!)
You'll find there are many who'll wed for a penny
The word for your guidance is "Mum!" (Chorus: Mum-mum!)
There's lots of good fish in the sea!

Chorus: On this subject we pray you'll be dumb, dumb-dumb,
We think you had better succumb, cumb-cumb,
You'll find there are many who'll wed for a penny
Who'll wed for a penny.
There's lots of good fish in the sea.
There are lots of good fish in the sea,
In the sea, in the sea, in the sea!

Katisha: Oh, faithless one, this insult you shall rue.
In vain for mercy on your knees you'll sue!
I'll tear the mask from your disguising!
Prepare yourselves for news surprising.

Nanki-Poo: How foil my foe?

Katisha: No minstrel he, despite bravado.
He is the son of your --
Chorus: O nn! Bikkuri shakkuri to!
K: In vain you interrupt with this tornado.
He is the only son of your --
Chorus: O nn! Bikkuri shakkuri to!
K: I'll spoil --
Chorus: O nn! Bikkuri shakkuri to!
K: -- your gay gambado! He is the son --
Chorus: O nn! Bikkuri shakkuri to!
K: -- of your --
Chorus: O nn! Bikkuri shakkuri to!
K: -- the son of your --

Chorus: O nn! Bikkuri shakkuri to! Oh! Oh!
We'll hear no more, ill-omened owl,
To joy we soar despite your scowl!
The echoes of our festival
Shall rise triumphant over all.

Katisha: Prepare for woe, ye haughty lords,
At once I'll go, Mikado-wards.

Yum-Yum: We do not heed their dismal sound
Ko-Ko: For joy reigns everywhere around.
YY: We do not heed their dismal sound
Both: For joy reigns everywhere around.

Chorus and soloists: The echoes of our festival
Shall rise triumphant over all.
We'll hear no more, ill-omened owl,
To joy we soar despite your scowl!
Triumphant over all.

Katisha: My wrongs with vengeance shall be crowned!

Chorus: We do not heed their dismal sound,
For joy reigns everywhere around.