Translation of the song Cuando me puse a pensar artist José Martí

Cuando me puse a pensar

When I started to think

La razón me dio a elegir

Reason gave me the choice

Entre ser quien soy, o ir

Of being who I am, or

El ser ajeno a emprestar,

Borrowing the strange being,

Mas me dije: si el copiar

But I told myself: if copying

Fuera ley, no nacería

Was the law, born

Hombre alguno, pues haría

Would be no one, for he would do

Lo que antes de él se ha hecho:

What before him has been done:

Y dije, llamando al pecho,

And I said, calling the chest,

¡Sé quien eres, alma mía!

Be who you are, soul of mine!