Translation of the song lyrics La tabaquera - Jose Luis Perales

La tabaquera (original)

Sonrisas bajo el brazo y pena en el corazón,
cerillas y tabaco se venden en un rincón,
cerillas y tabaco se venden en un rincón.
La oigo cantar: ¡cerillas y papel!
y toma sorbo a sorbo su café
y mira sin hablar y piensa sin saber,
por qué llego a este mundo, y para qué.
Y su pregunta,
voló de mesa en mesa sin respuesta
quedándose dormida tras la puerta,
por si alguien quiere un día contestar.
Y yo la miro…
y quiero recordarla tal como era
yo quiero hablar de aquella tabaquera,
que un día en la taberna me miró.
De joven tuvo amores con un apuesto señor
pero voló tan alto que un día ya no volvió,
pero voló tan alto que un día ya no volvió.
Y le dejó cerillas y papel,
y todo un testamento por hacer;
riquezas por ganar, y sedas por tejer,
y un bello rinconcito en un café…
Y una pregunta,
que va de mesa en mesa sin respuesta;
y que quedó dormida tras las puerta
por si alguien quiere un día contestar.
Y yo la miro…
y quiero recordarla tal como era;
yo quiero hablar de aquella tabaquera,
que un día en la taberna me miró.

(translation)

Smiles under the arm and pain in the heart,
matches and tobacco are sold in a corner,
matches and tobacco are sold in a corner.
I hear her sing: matches and paper!
and sip by sip her coffee
and she looks without speaking and thinks without knowing,
why did I come to this world, and for what.
And your question of her,
flew from table to table with no response
she falling asleep behind the door,
in case someone wants to answer one day.
And I look at her...
and I want to remember her as she was
I want to talk about that tobacco box,
that one day in the tavern she looked at me.
As a young woman she had love affairs with a handsome man
but she flew so high that one day she didn't come back,
but she flew so high that one day she didn't come back.
And she left him matches and paper,
and a whole testament to make;
riches to be gained, and silks to be woven,
and a beautiful little corner in a café…
And a question,
she that she goes from table to table without an answer;
and that she fell asleep behind the door
in case someone wants to answer one day.
And I look at her...
and I want to remember her as she was she;
I want to talk about that tobacco box,
that one day in the tavern he looked at me.