Chorus:
With aspect stern
And gloomy stride,
We come to learn
How you decide.

Don't hesitate
Your choice to name,
A dreadful fate
You'll suffer all the same.
A dreadful fate
You'll suffer all the same.

Pooh-Bah: To ask you what you mean to do we punctually appear.

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

All: The Japanese equivalent for hear, hear, hear!

Ko-Ko:(Presenting him.) 'Tis Nanki-Poo.

All: Hail Nanki-Poo!

Ko-Ko: I think he'll do?

All: Yes, yes, he'll do!

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

[Enter Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo & Pitti-Sing]

All:
Ah, yes!
He loves himself with passion tenderer still.

Ko-Ko:(To Nanki-Poo) Take her. She's yours!

[Exit Ko-Ko]

Nanki-Poo: The threatened cloud has passed away,

Yum-Yum: And brightly shines the dawning day;

Nanki-Poo: What though the night may come too soon,

Yum-Yum: There's yet a month of afternoon!

Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, Nanki-Poo, Pooh-Bah & Pish-Tush:
Then let the throng
Our joy advance,
With laughing song
And merry dance,
Then let the throng
Our joy advance,
With laughing song
And merry dance,
With laughing song
And merry dance,
With laughing song.

Chorus:
With joyous shout, with joyous shout and ringing cheer,
Inaugurate, inaugurate their brief career!
With Joyous shout and ringing cheer,
Inaugurate their brief career!
With Joyous shout and ringing cheer,
Inaugurate their brief career!

Pitti-Sing: A day, a week, a month, a year —

Yum-Yum: Or far or near, or far or near,

Pooh-Bah: Life's eventide comes much too soon,

Pitti-Sing: You'll live at least a honeymoon!

Yum-Yum, Peep-Bo, Pitti-Sing, Nanki-Poo, Pooh-Bah & Pish-Tush:
Then let the throng
Our joy advance,
With laughing song
And merry dance,
Then let the throng
Our joy advance,
With laughing song
And merry dance,
With laughing song
And merry dance,
With laughing song.

Chorus:
With joyous shout, with joyous shout and ringing cheer,
Inaugurate, inaugurate their brief career!
With Joyous shout and ringing cheer,
Inaugurate their brief career!
With Joyous shout and ringing cheer,
Inaugurate their brief career!
Laughing song, merry dance,
With laughing song and merry dance!

Pooh-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 —
Long life to you — till then!"

[Exit Pooh-Bah]

Chorus:
May all good fortune, all good fortune prosper you,
May you have health, may you have health and riches too,
May all good fortune prosper you,
May you have health and riches too,
May you succeed in all you do!
Long life, long life to you — till then!
(Dance)

[Enter Katisha melodramatically]

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 delights that never cloy!

Chorus: Go, leave thy deadly work undone!

Katisha: Come back, oh, shallow fool! come back to joy!

Chorus: Away, away! ill-favoured one!

Nanki-Poo: (Aside to Yum-Yum) Ah! 'Tis Katisha!
The maid of whom I told you.
(About to go)

Katisha: (Detaining him) No! You shall not go,
These arms shall thus enfold you!

Katisha: (Addressing Nanki-Poo)
Oh fool, that fleest
My hallowed joys!
Oh blind, that seest
No equipoise!
Oh rash, that judgest
From half, the whole!
Oh base, that grudgest
Love's lightest dole!
Thy heart unbind,
Oh fool, oh blind!
Give me my place,
Oh rash, oh base!
Thy heart unbind,
Give me my place,
Oh fool, oh blind!
Oh rash, oh base!
Thy heart unbind,
Give me, give me my place!

Chorus:
If she's thy bride, restore her place,
Oh fool, oh blind, oh rash, oh base!

Katisha: (Addressing Yum-Yum)
Pink cheek, that rulest
Where wisdom serves!
Bright eye, that foolest
Heroic nerves!
Rose lip, that scornest
Lore-laden years!
Smooth tongue, that warnest
Who rightly hears!
Thy doom is nigh.
Pink cheek, bright eye!
Thy knell is rung,
Rose lip, smooth tongue!
Thy doom is nigh,
Thy knell is rung,
Pink cheek, bright eye!
Rose lip, smooth tongue!
Thy doom is nigh,
Thy knell, thy knell is rung!

Chorus:
If true her tale, thy knell is rung,
Pink cheek, bright eye, rose lip, smooth tongue!
Katisha: Chorus:
Thy doom is nigh, If true her tale, thy knell is rung,
Thy knell is rung, If true her tale, thy knell is rung,
Thy knell, thy knell is rung! Thy knell is rung!
Pitti-Sing:
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!

Pitti-Sing: For he's going to marry Yum-Yum —

All: Yum-Yum!

Pitti-Sing: Your anger pray bury,
For all will be merry,
I think you had better succumb —

All: Cumb-cumb!

Pitti-Sing: And join our expressions of glee.
On this subject I pray you be dumb —

All: Dumb-dumb!

Pitti-Sing: You'll find there are many
Who'll wed for a penny
The word for your guidance is "Mum" —

All: Mum-mum!

Pitti-Sing: There's lots of good fish in the sea!

All:
On this subject I pray you 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 are lots of good fish in the sea!
There are lots of good fish in the sea!
There's lots of good fish, good fish in the sea!
There's lots of good fish, good fish in the sea,
In the sea, in the sea, in the sea, in the sea!

Katisha:
The hour of gladness
Is dead and gone;
In silent sadness
I live alone!
The hope I cherished
All lifeless lies,
And all has perished,
All has perished,
Save love, which never dies!

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!

Nanki-Poo: (Aside) Now comes the blow!

Katisha: Prepare yourselves for news surprising!

Nanki-Poo: (Aside) How foil my foe?

Katisha: No minstrel he, despite bravado!

Yum-Yum: (Aside, struck by an idea) Ha! ha! I know!

Katisha: He is the son of your —

(Nanki-Poo, Yum-Yum and Chorus, interrupting, sing japanese words to drown her voice.)

All: O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!

Katisha: In vain you interrupt with this tornado!
He is the only son of your —

All: O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!

Katisha: I'll spoil —

All: O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!

Katisha: Your gay gambado!
He is the son —

All: O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!

Katisha: Of your —

All: O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to!

Katisha: The son of your —

All: O ni! bikkuri shakkuri to! oya! oya!

Katisha:
Ye torrents roar,
Ye tempests howl!
Your wrath outpour,
With angry growl!
Do ye your worst, my vengeance call
Shall rise triumphant over all!

All:
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 go
Mikado-wards.

All:
Away you go,
Collect your hordes;
Proclaim your woe
In dismal chords;

Yum-Yum: We do not heed their dismal sound,

Nanki-Poo: For joy reigns everywhere around.

Yum-Yum: We do not heed their dismal sound,

Yum-Yum & Nanki-Poo: For joy reigns everywhere around.
Yum-Yum: Nanki-Poo:
The echoes of our festival The echoes of our festival
Shall rise triumphant over all! Shall rise triumphant over all!
Shall rise triumphant, Shall rise triumphant over all!
Triumphant over all! Triumphant over all!
Shall rise triumphant over all! Shall rise triumphant over all!

Chorus:
We'll hear no more, ill-omened owl.
To joy we soar, despite your scowl!

To joy we soar,
To joy we soar, despite your scowl!
Katisha: Chorus:
My wrongs with vengeance shall be crowned!
We do not heed their dismal sound,
For joy reigns everywhere around!
We do not heed their dismal sound,
For joy reigns everywhere around!
My wrongs with vengeance shall be crowned! We do not heed their dismal sound,
My wrongs with vengeance shall be crowned! For joy reigns everywhere around!