Testify
Russell Crowe Lyrics

I feel the irons on my wrist
I am physically locked up and restrained, helpless and hopeless.

and lament it's come to this
I regret ending up in this situation, for I know the consequence of my actions.

When they hang me from the gallows tree
I know my fate and will suffer the ultimate punishment for my sins.

"Such as life" you'll hear me hiss
I utter those words as a final farewell to the world, accepting the inevitable death that awaits me.

I'm not the reddest handed bandit here
There are others who are more guilty and bloodier than I am.

but I'm the one who'll take the fall
Nevertheless, I will be the one to take responsibility and suffer the punishment for the crime I committed.

This smoking gun's been smothered by
The evidence is suppressed and covered up by

the long arm of the law.
the power and influence of the legal system.

The Chaplin says: "The end is started
The priest acknowledges that my fate is sealed, and the end of my life is near.

and your Judgement has begun
I am already being judged by God for my sins, and it is too late to change my destiny.

Prayers can lead to God's forgiveness
The only hope I have is to pray to God and seek forgiveness for my actions, hoping that He will be merciful towards me.

for all the foolish things you've done
I acknowledge the mistakes I made in life and seek redemption, but I am not sure whether God will show me mercy.

You've got tonight to find some peace of mind
I have only one night left to reflect on my life and seek solace and peace within myself.

before you leave this world"
This is my last chance to make peace with myself and the world before I face my inevitable end.

I hope and pray that I may never
I wish to avoid the consequences of my actions and not suffer the punishment that I deserve.

get what I deserve
I know I am guilty and deserve punishment, but I still hope for mercy and forgiveness from God.

Take me down to the river, Preacher, take me by the hand
I ask the priest to lead me to the river where I can wash away my sins and seek redemption, metaphorically and literally.

Take me down to the river, mend the soul of a broken man
I pray for the waters of the river to heal and revitalize my soul that is broken by guilt and fear.

Drown me in forgiveness, wash these bloody hands of mine
I ask for complete immersion in the river, to wash away my sins and cleanse my hands of the blood I spilled.

Take me down to one last river
This is the final chance and hope I have for redemption and forgiveness.

Let me testify.
I wish to testify before God and show that I am truly remorseful for my sins and seek His mercy and forgiveness.

I believe in God's benevolence
I have faith that God is merciful and benevolent, and will show me mercy if I show true remorse for my actions.

And I have seen with my own eyes
I have witnessed the power of God's forgiveness and mercy in the baptisms of sinners in the river.

in the river just outside the gate
The river is a symbol of hope and redemption, and it is situated right outside the prison gate.

Sunday sinners get baptized
People who have sinned seek redemption and forgiveness by being baptized in the river on Sundays.

And I'll pray for my redemption
I will continue to pray for my soul to redeem and to seek God's forgiveness even though I may not be worthy of it.

But I'm quite sure that he won't hear
I am not sure whether God will hear my prayers, considering the weight of my sins.

I've never had that watered cross
I have never been baptized or blessed by the water of the river, and hence, I am not sure whether I will be forgiven for my sins.

trickle in my ear.
I have never heard the sound of the river as I have never been baptized or been close to it.

The chaplain's face it grew sadder,
The priest looks at me with sadness, acknowledging the weight of my sins and the inevitability of my punishment.

He said "you've not been christened, Son?"
The priest questions whether I have been baptized or not, as I have never been seen in the river before.

"No," I said, and I hung my head
I admit that I have never been baptized and hence am unsure whether I will be redeemed or not.

"Is there nothing to be done?
The priest asks whether there is anything else that can be done to seek redemption for my soul.

If I could get down to that river
My only hope is to seek redemption by immersing myself in the waters of the river, even at this late stage.

Can't you see how cleansed I'd be?
I believe that the water of the river holds the key to cleansing me of my sins, and I plead for the chance to seek this redemption.

The latest lamb, in God's hands.
I am ready to be the latest lamb in God's hands, ready to face my punishment and hoping for mercy and redemption.

And my soul would be set free."
I seek to be released from the weight of my sins, to be free to face my inevitable end with a guilt-free conscience.

They take me to the river banks
The guards and the priest lead me to the river banks, my last hope for redemption and forgiveness.

Two guards and the chaplain.
The people who escort me to the river are two guards and the chaplain, who guide me in seeking God's forgiveness.

The moonlight shines on the holy tides
The moonlight casts a holy glow on the river, symbolizing the power and sanctity of the waters of the river.

My prayers have been answered
I believe that my prayers have been answered, and I will finally be given a chance to seek forgiveness and redemption in the holy waters of the river.

I take my sodden walk to Jesus
I walk towards the river, ready to seek forgiveness and redemption from Jesus, my savior.

All piety and grace
I approach the river with a pure heart and soul, ready to seek redemption for my sins with piety and grace.

The guards release my shackles
The guards release me from my physical restraints, allowing me to seek spiritual freedom by immersing myself in the holy waters.

But they cannot read my face
Even though they unlock my physical restraints, the guards cannot comprehend the depth of emotions and feelings that are on my face.

The deepest breath that I can take
I take the deepest breath possible, symbolizing my readiness to let go of my past sins and embrace my new life with God.

As I plunge under the water
I am ready to fully immerse myself in the waters of the river, to be washed clean of my sins.

The chaplain had the kindest ways
The priest had the kindest ways of guiding me in seeking redemption and forgiveness for my sins.

He could have been a whole lot smarter
However, despite his kindness, he could have been smarter in saving me from my fate.

Two kicks and I'm traveling
I kick twice, immersing myself fully in the water, symbolizing my surrender to God and seeking complete forgiveness.

Beneath the muddy waters gleam
Even the muddy waters of the river gleam and symbolize the power of the holy waters to wash away my sins.

And by the time I take a second breath,
In a matter of seconds, I feel transformed and renewed, ready to face my inevitable end with a guilt-free conscience.

I'm a hundred yards downstream.
I travel downstream, ready to face my new life with God, my sins washed away in the holy waters of the river.

Testify
I testify before God and the world of my path to redemption and forgiveness, hoping that my testimony serves as inspiration for others to seek the same.