No Good Deed – English Lyrics

• By: Cynthia Erivo
• Album: Wicked: For Good Soundtrack

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Fiyero!

Eleka nahmen nahmen

Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen

Eleka nahmen nahmen

Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen

Let his flesh not be torn

Let his blood leave no stain

Though they beat him

Let him feel no pain

Let his bones never break

And however they try

To destroy him

Let him never die:

Let him never die:

Eleka nahmen nahmen

Ah tum ah tum eleka nahmen

Eleka nahmen nahmen

Ah tum ah tum eleka: eleka–

What good is this chanting?

I don't even know what I'm reading!

I don't even know what trick I ought to try.

Fiyero, where are you?

Already dead, or bleeding?

One more disaster I can add to my.

Generous supply?

No good deed goes unpunished.

No act of charity goes unresented.

No good deed goes unpunished,

That's my new creed.

My road of good intentions

Led where such roads always lead.

No good deed goes unpunished!

Nessa…

Doctor Dillamond…

Fiyero…

Fiyero!!

One question haunts and hurts

Too much, too much to mention:

Was I really seeking good

Or just seeking attention?

Is that all good deeds are

When looked at with an ice-cold eye?

If that's all good deeds are,

Maybe that's the reason why.

No good deed goes unpunished.

All helpful urges should be circumvented.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Sure, I meant well -

Well, look at what well-meant did:

All right, enough - so be it.

So be it, then:

Let all Oz be agreed.

I'm wicked through and through.

Since I can not succeed,

Fiyero, saving you.

I promise no good deed

Will I attempt to do again,

Ever again.

No good deed

Will I do again!

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
chanting /ˈtʃɑːntɪŋ/ B2	noun - the repeated singing or speaking of words, often in a rhythmic way
disaster /dɪˈzɑːstə(r)/ B1	noun - a very bad event that causes great damage or suffering
charity /ˈtʃærəti/ B1	noun - kindness and help given to people in need, or an organization that provides this
creed /kriːd/ C1	noun - a set of beliefs or principles that guide a person or group
intention /ɪnˈtenʃn/ B1	noun - a plan or aim about what you want to do
lead /liːd/ A2	verb - to make someone or something go to a place or result
question /ˈkwestʃən/ A1	noun - a sentence or phrase used to ask for information
haunt /hɔːnt/ B2	verb - to cause someone to feel troubled by a memory or thought that keeps coming back
mention /ˈmenʃn/ B1	verb - to talk about something briefly without giving many details
seek /siːk/ B2	verb - to try to find or get something
attention /əˈtenʃn/ A2	noun - the act of noticing or focusing on someone or something
punished /ˈpʌnɪʃt/ B1	verb - made to suffer a penalty because of doing something wrong
helpful /ˈhelpfəl/ A2	adjective - making it easier for someone to do something or solve a problem
urge /ɜːdʒ/ B2	noun - a strong desire to do something
circumvented /ˌsɜːkəmˈventɪd/ C1	verb - avoided or prevented by using a clever or indirect way
wicked /ˈwɪkɪd/ B2	adjective - morally very bad or evil
succeed /səkˈsiːd/ B1	verb - to achieve what you planned or wanted
attempt /əˈtempt/ B1	verb - to try to do something difficult noun - an act of trying to do something

Key Grammar Structures

• Let his flesh not be torn

  ➔ Imperative with subjunctive sense ('let' + object + bare infinitive)

  ➔ The word 'let' introduces a request or command expressed as a wish, not a direct order.

• Though they beat him, let him feel no pain

  ➔ Concessive clause with 'though'

  ➔ 'Though' introduces contrast — even if they beat him, the speaker hopes he feels no pain.

• What good is this chanting?

  ➔ Inverted question structure for emphasis

  ➔ The question uses inversion to highlight emotion — ‘What good is’ instead of ‘How good is’.

• No good deed goes unpunished

  ➔ Passive voice with present simple

  ➔ Uses passive voice to suggest that actions (‘good deeds’) receive punishment in general truth.

• That's my new creed

  ➔ Possessive with demonstrative pronoun

  ➔ ‘That’s my’ links possession and emphasis — personal belief or statement of conviction.

• Was I really seeking good or just seeking attention?

  ➔ Parallel structure in a question

  ➔ ‘Seeking good’ and ‘seeking attention’ are balanced to emphasize contrast in motives.

• All helpful urges should be circumvented

  ➔ Modal verb with passive infinitive structure

  ➔ ‘Should be circumvented’ expresses obligation or advice in passive form — actions should be avoided.

• Since I can not succeed, Fiyero, saving you

  ➔ Dependent clause with causal conjunction ('since')

  ➔ 'Since' introduces the reason for the main clause — because she cannot succeed, she stops trying.