Holy Wars...The Punishment Due
Megadeth Lyrics

Brother will kill brother
People who are supposed to be united will fight against each other

Spilling blood across the land
Fighting will cause bloodshed and loss

Killing for religion
People hurt or kill others in the name of their faith

Something I don't understand
The singer cannot seem to comprehend this kind of violence

Fools like me, who cross the sea And come to foreign lands
Some travelers go to distant places without realizing their dangers

Ask the sheep, for their beliefs Do you kill on God's command?
People may blindly follow others without reflecting on their actions

A country that's divided Surely will not stand
A nation with internal conflicts is bound to fall

My past erased, no more disgrace No foolish naive stand
The singer wants to forget his mistakes and avoid future ones

The end is near, it's crystal clear Part of the master plan
A catastrophic event seems imminent and inevitable

Don't look now to Israel It might be your homelands
The location of a war is unpredictable and could hit close to home

Holy wars
Religious conflicts that escalate into violent confrontations

Upon my podium, as the Know it all scholar
The singer is in a position of intellectual authority and superiority

Down in my seat of judgement Gavel's bang, uphold the law
The singer has a role in a court of justice and punishment

Up on my soapbox, a leader Out to change the world
The singer believes he can make a difference and inspire others

Down in my pulpit as the holier Than-thou-could-be-messenger of God
The singer speaks from a position of religious authority and righteousness

Wage the war on organized crime Sneak attacks, repel down the rocks Behind the lines
The singer fights against lawlessness and corruption in a hidden, dangerous way

Some people risk to employ me Some people live to destroy me
The singer attracts both allies and enemies with his methods and ideals

Either way they die, they die
There will be casualties and collateral damage in any conflict

They killed my wife, and my baby With hopes to enslave me
The singer's loved ones suffered and died because of the attackers' cruel motives

First mistake, last mistake! Paid by the alliance, to slay all the giants Next mistake, no more mistakes
The singer sees his enemies as doomed to fail and desperate to defeat him

Fill the cracks in, with judicial granite Because I don't say it, Don't mean I ain't thinkin' it
The singer wants to use impartial justice to fix social problems but also harbors critical thoughts and feelings

Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away I know what I said, now I must scream of the overdose And the lack of mercy killings Mercy killings Mercy killings Killings, killings, killings, killings Next thing you know, they'll take my thoughts away
The singer fears losing his freedom of expression and conscience, and fears being misunderstood or misrepresented