En Mateu diu entre-m'hi
Mathew says: let's get in
és un bar que s'ha de veure.
it's a bar you have to see.
Sempre hi ha algú que recita
There is always someone reciting
o que canta en un racó.
or singing in a corner.
A la resta ens fa una mandra
The rest of us aren't keen about it
però és que no hi ha alternativa.
but there is no alternative.
Va, fem-ne una i cap a casa
Come, let's have one and go home
vigileu els esglaons.
Watch your step.
Obrim la porta
We open the door
entrem en un lloc minúscul
enter a very small place
gent amb mirada perduda
people with lost gazes
si n'hi ha quinze ja són molts.
there are fifteen people at much.
Però és molt heavy
But it's really heavy
uns setanta anys de mitjana
seventy years of average
i un senyor amb una guitarra
and a man with a guitar
que ara acaba una cançó.
that just finished a song.
I seiem a prop del foc
And we sit close to the fire
al costat un vell amb barba
next to an old man with a beard
que du manta i espardenyes
that wears a blanket and slippers
sota seu hi dorm un gos
with a dog sleeping under him.
I no sé qui de nosaltres
And I don't know which of us
va i murmura: quina fauna
goes and mumbles: what a fauna.
amb els ulls ens l'assenyala
and points at him with his eyes
i ens posem a riure fort.
and we start laughing out loud.
Ai Mateu, ma dove ci hai portato?
Oh Mathew, ma dove ci hai portato?
que això tiu sembla un geriàtric
this seems a nursing home
a un amic no se li fa.
you don't do this to a friend.
Ai Mateu, que no et salva ni ta mare
Oh Mathew, not even your mother saves you
que avui pagues tu les pintes
you pay the beer tonight
per mí ja podem marxar.
As for me, we can leave now.
Ens enfotem de tots
We mock everyone
del mort i de qui el vetlla
the dead and the one who watches it
quan de cop el vell s'aixeca
when suddenly the old man stands up
això tius pot ser molt bo.
this, dudes, can be real good.
Amb un respirar feixuc
With heavy breathing
i una veu ben arrugada
and a wrinkled voice
diu aquesta dedicada
says: this one is dedicated
a tots els que ja no hi són.
to those who aren't here anymore.
I comença i arrenca amb la tornada
And he starts, and goes on with the chorus
i al voltant es fa un silenci
and all around there is a silence
que ara no sabré explicar.
that I won't know how to explain.
Però hem de callar, tiu hem de callar
But we have to shut up, dude, we have to shut up.
empassar-nos les paraules
Swallow our words
i posar-nos a escoltar.
and listen.
El vell agafa aire
The old man takes in some air,
i les venes se li inflen
and his veins inflate
i la cara ben vermella
and his face turns red
com si s'hagués d'ofegar
like he would choke.
Però creu-me
But believe me
que cantar d'aquella forma
singing that way
no hi ha cap escola al món
there is no school in the world
que te'n pugui ensenyar
that could teach you that.
De tots els homes d'escòcia
Of all the men of Scotland
amb aquell vell vam anar a topar.
we encountered that old man.
I de sobte vam entendre el que volia dir cantar.
And suddenly we understood what it meant to sing.