Blue Monk - lyrics by Abbey Lincoln (1961)

Goin' alone, life is your own, 
But sometimes the cost is dear. [bad word]  knowing defeat (проигрыш), 
Keeping on from year to year.
It takes some doing. 
Monkery's (монашество; бродяжничество) the blues you hear, 
Keeping on from year to year.
Life is a school, 'less you're a fool,
But the learning brings you pain.
Knowing at once you're just a dunce (неуспевающий ученик),
Trial and error, loss and gain.
It takes some doing -
Monkery's a slow, slow train,
Trial and error, loss and gain.
Finding your one place in the sun [bad word] the easy way
Shallow and deep, nothing is cheap
Measured by the dues you pay
It takes some doin',
Monkery's a blue highway
Measured by the dues you pay