| Tenía siete años apenas
| I was just seven years old
|
| Apenas siete años
| just seven years
|
| Qué siete años?
| What seven years?
|
| No llegaba a cinco siquiera!
| She didn't even reach five!
|
| De pronto unas voces en la calle
| Suddenly some voices in the street
|
| Me gritaron negra!
| They called me black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black!
|
| ¿Soy acaso negra? | Am I black? |
| Me dije (Sí!)
| I told myself (Yes!)
|
| ¿Qué cosa es ser negra? | What is it to be black? |
| (Negra!)
| (Black!)
|
| Y yo no sabía la triste verdad
| And I didn't know the sad truth
|
| Que aquello escondía (Negra!)
| That that hid (Black!)
|
| Y me sentí negra (Negra!)
| And I felt black (Black!)
|
| Como ellos decían (Negra!)
| As they said (Black!)
|
| Y retrocedí (Negra!)
| And I stepped back (Black!)
|
| Como ellos querían (Negra!)
| As they wanted (Black!)
|
| Y odié mis cabellos y mis labios gruesos
| And I hated my hair and my thick lips
|
| Y miré apenada mi carne tostada
| And I looked sadly at my roasted meat
|
| Y retrocedí (Negra!)
| And I stepped back (Black!)
|
| Y retrocedí
| and i backtracked
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Y pasaba el tiempo
| and time passed
|
| Y siempre amargada
| and always bitter
|
| Seguía llevando a mi espalda
| I kept carrying my back
|
| Mi pesada carga
| my heavy load
|
| Y como pesaba!
| And how heavy!
|
| Me alacié el cabello
| I straightened my hair
|
| Me polvee la cara
| I powdered my face
|
| Y entre mis entrañas
| and between my entrails
|
| Siempre resonaba la misma palabra
| The same word always resonated
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black!
|
| Hasta que un día que retrocedía y retrocedía
| Until one day I went back and back
|
| Y que iba a caer!
| And what was going to fall!
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra, negra, negra!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Negra, negra!
| Black, black!
|
| Y ¿qué?
| And?
|
| Y ¿qué? | And? |
| (Negra!)
| (Black!)
|
| Sí! | Yes! |
| (Negra!)
| (Black!)
|
| Soy! | Am! |
| (Negra!)
| (Black!)
|
| Negra (Negra!)
| Black (Black!)
|
| Negra soy (Negra!)
| I am black (Black!)
|
| Sí! | Yes! |
| (Negra!)
| (Black!)
|
| Soy! | Am! |
| (Negra!)
| (Black!)
|
| Negra (Negra!)
| Black (Black!)
|
| Negra soy
| I am black
|
| De hoy en adelante no quiero
| From now on I don't want
|
| Alaciar mi cabello (No quiero!)
| Straighten my hair (I don't want to!)
|
| Y voy a reírme de aquellos
| And I will laugh at those
|
| Que por evitar, según ellos
| What to avoid, according to them
|
| Que por evitarnos algún sin sabor
| That to avoid us some tasteless
|
| Llaman a los negros gente de color
| They call blacks people of color
|
| ¿Y de qué color? | And what color? |
| (Negro!)
| (Black!)
|
| Y que lindo suelo (Negro!)
| And what a nice floor (Black!)
|
| ¿Y qué ritmo tiene?
| And what rhythm does it have?
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro!
| Black, black, black, black!
|
| Al fin, al fin comprendí (Al fin!)
| Finally, finally I understood (Finally!)
|
| Ya no retrocedo (Al fin!)
| I no longer go back (Finally!)
|
| Y avanzo segura (Al fin!)
| And I advance safely (Finally!)
|
| Avanzo y espero! | I advance and wait! |
| (Al fin!)
| (Finally!)
|
| Y bendigo el cielo
| And I bless the sky
|
| Por que quiso Dios
| Why did God want
|
| Que negro azabache fuese mi color
| That jet black was my color
|
| Y ya comprendí (Al fin!)
| And I already understood (Finally!)
|
| Ya tengo la llave
| I already have the key
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negro
| Black, black, black, black
|
| Negro, negro, negro, negra soy! | Black, black, black, black I am! |