The original lyrics are completely unlike the Billie Holiday-S. M. Lewis lyrics so often heard a few years back.

Here is the literal translation of the original by Rezso Seress, lyricist and pianist, which is a lament about the horrors of modern culture, not a personal one about death of a woman and the suicidal intentions of her lover.

GLOOMY SUNDAY
(translation by Rezso Seress)

It is autumn and the yellow leaves are whirling,
All human affection has died on earth.
The autumn wind sobs with bitter tears,
My heart is without hope for a new spring:
Heartlessly evil and greedy are people;
Love is dead!
It is the end of the world,
The end of hope.
Cities are destroyed, shrapnel makes music,
The mottled meadow is red with human blood;
Dead bodies lie over the road;
Once more I will say quietly the prayer:
Lord, people are fallible and they make mistakes.
The world is finished.

Javor Laszlo also wrote a lyric, personalizing the song. Literal translation:

Sunday is gloomy, with a hundred white flowers,
I waited for you, my dear, with a prayer;
One Sunday morning, chasing after my dreams,
My sorrow's carriage came back to me without you,
Since then my Sunday's are always sad;
Tears are my only drink, sorrow my bread...
Gloomy Sunday.

On the last Sunday, my darling, please come away with me,
There will be a priest, a coffin, a mourning sheet;
Flowers await you, flowers and a coffin.
Under the blossoming trees it will be my last journey,
My eyes will be open, so I can see you for the last time.
Don't fear my eyes, even in death I bless you...
The last Sunday.

It was these last lyrics that were re-written by Sam M. Lewis for the hit record by Billie Holiday (and others). Lyrics in next post.

http://disappearingbudapest.blogspot.com/2010/01/gloomy-sunday.html

Original Hungarian lyrics also in this website.