Translation of the song lyrics Assum preto - Gilberto Gil

Assum preto (original)

Tudo em vorta é só beleza
Sol de Abril e a mata em frô
Mas Assum Preto, cego dos óio
Num vendo a luz, ai, canta de dor
Num vendo a luz, ai, canta de dor
Tarvez por ignorança
Ou mardade das pió
Furaro os óio do Assum Preto
Pra ele assim, ai, cantá de mió
Pra ele assim, ai, cantá de mió
Assum Preto veve sorto
Mas num pode avuá
Mil vez a sina de uma gaiola
Desde que o céu, ai, pudesse oiá
Desde que o céu, ai, pudesse oiá
Assum Preto, o meu cantar
É tão triste como o teu
Também roubaro o meu amor
Que era a luz, ai, dos óios meus
Também roubaro o meu amor
Que era a luz, ai, dos óios meus

Assum preto (translation)

All round, the world is decked in splendor
April’s sun, and woods that flower like a hymn
Yet Assum Preto, blind to every glimmer,
Does not behold the light—he sings his ache within
Does not behold the light—he sings his ache within
Perhaps through shadowed witlessness,
Or cruelty’s own venom, stripped of grace,
They pierced the blackbird’s eyes, condemned his darkness
So he might pour his grief in sweeter lays
So he might pour his grief in sweeter lays
Assum Preto walks unshackled under heaven
But his wings remember how to soar no more
A thousand times I’d choose the fate of iron prison
If only I might gaze at sky’s blue shore
If only I might gaze at sky’s blue shore
Assum Preto, my song in the hollow
Is as mournful as yours, as bitter and true
They have stolen the sun of my heart, too
Who once was the flame, the vision I followed
They have stolen the sun of my heart, too
Who once was the flame, the vision I followed