A South politician preaches to the poor white man,
Seorang politisi Selatan berkhotbah kepada orang kulit putih yang malang itu,
“You got more than the blacks, don't complain.
“Anda mendapatkan lebih dari orang kulit hitam, jangan mengeluh.
You're better than them, you been born with white skin,” they explain.
Kamu lebih baik dari mereka, kamu lahir dengan kulit putih, “jelas mereka.
And the Negro's name
Dan nama Negro
Is used it is plain
Digunakan itu biasa
For the politician's gain
Untuk keuntungan politisi
As he rises to fame
Saat dia naik ke ketenaran
And the poor white remains
Dan si kulit putih yang malang itu tetap
On the caboose of the train
Di gerbong tukang rem kereta
But it ain't him to blame
Tapi bukan dia yang harus disalahkan
He's only a pawn in their game.
Dia hanya pion dalam permainan mereka.

The deputy sheriffs, the soldiers, the governors get paid,
Wakil sheriff, tentara, gubernur dibayar,
And the marshals and cops get the same,
Dan marsekal dan polisi mendapatkan hal yang sama,
But the poor white man's used in the hands of them all like a tool.
Tapi orang kulit putih miskin itu digunakan di tangan mereka semua seperti alat.
He's taught in his school
Dia mengajar di sekolahnya
From the start by the rule
Dari awal aturan
That the laws are with him
Bahwa hukum itu ada bersamanya
To protect his white skin
Untuk melindungi kulitnya yang putih
To keep up his hate
Untuk menjaga kebenciannya
So he never thinks straight
Jadi dia tidak pernah berpikir jernih
'Bout the shape that he's in
‘Bout bentuk yang dia masuk
But it ain't him to blame
Tapi bukan dia yang harus disalahkan
He's only a pawn in their game.
Dia hanya pion dalam permainan mereka.

From the poverty shacks, he looks from the cracks to the tracks,
Dari gubuk kemiskinan, dia terlihat dari celah-celah sampai ke jalur,
And the hoof beats pound in his brain.
Dan kuku itu berdetak kencang di otaknya.
And he's taught how to walk in a pack
Dan dia diajari cara berjalan dalam satu pak
Shoot in the back
Tembak di belakang
With his fist in a clinch
Dengan tinjunya di puncak
To hang and to lynch
Untuk menggantung dan mengintip
To hide 'neath the hood
Untuk menyembunyikan ‘neath the hood
To kill with no pain
Membunuh tanpa rasa sakit
Like a dog on a chain
Seperti anjing di rantai
He ain't got no name
Dia tidak punya nama
But it ain't him to blame
Tapi bukan dia yang harus disalahkan
He's only a pawn in their game.
Dia hanya pion dalam permainan mereka.

Today, Medgar Evers was buried from the bullet he caught.
Hari ini, Medgar Evers dimakamkan dari peluru yang dia tangkap.
They lowered him down as a king.
Mereka menurunkannya sebagai raja.
But when the shadowy sun sets on the one
Tapi saat matahari gelap terbenam di sana
That fired the gun
Itu melepaskan pistolnya
He'll see by his grave
Dia akan melihat kuburannya
On the stone that remains
Di atas batu yang tersisa
Carved next to his name
Diukir di samping namanya
His epitaph plain:
Julukannya polos:
Only a pawn in their game.
Hanya pion dalam permainan mereka.