| Si en el firmamento poder yo tuviera
| If in the firmament I could have
|
| Esa noche negra lo mismo que un pozo
| That black night the same as a well
|
| Con un cuchillito de luna lunera
| With a lunera moon knife
|
| Clavarán los hierros de tu calabozo
| They will nail the irons of your dungeon
|
| Si yo fuera rey de la luz del día
| If I were king of daylight
|
| Del viento y del mar
| Of the wind and the sea
|
| Cordeles de esclava yo me ceñiría
| Slave cords I would gird myself
|
| Por tu libertad
| for your freedom
|
| Ay, pena, penita, pena…
| Oh, sorrow, sorrow, sorrow...
|
| Ay que penita y que dolor
| Oh what a pain and what a pain
|
| Que me corre por las venas, pena
| That runs through my veins, pity
|
| Con la fuerza de un ciclón
| With the force of a cyclone
|
| Es lo mismo que un «nublao»
| It is the same as a "cloud"
|
| De tiniebla y pedernal
| Of darkness and flint
|
| Es un potro «desbocao»
| It is a "runaway" colt
|
| Que no sabe a donde va
| who doesn't know where he's going
|
| Es un desierto de arena, pena
| It's a desert of sand, pity
|
| Es mi gloria y mi pena, ay pena, ay pena
| It's my glory and my sorrow, oh sorrow, oh sorrow
|
| Ay pena, penita, pena… | Oh pity, pity, pity... |