Translation of the song La niña de Guatemala artist José Martí
La niña de Guatemala
The Girl from Guatemala
Quiero, a la sombra de un ala,
I want, beneath a wing's shadow;
contar este cuento en flor:
to tell this story in the language of flowers1:
la niña de Guatemala,
about the girl from Guatemala,
la que se murió de amor.
the one who died for love.
Eran de lirios los ramos;
The bouquets were of lilies
y las orlas de reseda
and the trimmings were of mignonettes,
y de jazmín; la enterramos
and with jasmines; we buried her
en una caja de seda...
in a satin coffin...
Ella dio al desmemoriado
She gave that absent-minded man
una almohadilla de olor;
a small scented pillow,
él volvió, volvió casado;
he returned, he returned married;
ella se murió de amor.
she died for love.
Iban cargándola en andas
They carried her in procession -
obispos y embajadores;
bishops and ambassadors;
detrás iba el pueblo en tandas,
the town followed behind in batches,
todo cargado de flores...
all of them carrying flowers...
Ella, por volverlo a ver,
She, in order to see him again,
salió a verlo al mirador;
went to see him on the bay window;
él volvió con su mujer,
he returned to his wife,
ella se murió de amor.
she died for love.
Como de bronce candente,
Like red-hot bronze
al beso de despedida,
was the farewell kiss,
era su frente -¡la frente
it was her forehead, the forehead
que más he amado en mi vida!...
that I have loved most in my life!
Se entró de tarde en el río,
She entered the river one afternoon,
la sacó muerta el doctor;
the doctor brought her out dead;
dicen que murió de frío,
they say she died from the cold,
yo sé que murió de amor.
I know she died for love.
Allí, en la bóveda helada,
There, on the frozen bank
la pusieron en dos bancos:
they placed her on two benches;
besé su mano afilada,
I kissed her cold hand2,
besé sus zapatos blancos.
I kissed her white shoes.
Callado, al oscurecer,
Quietly, when dusk came,
me llamó el enterrador;
the gravedigger called out to me;
nunca más he vuelto a ver
never again have I seen
a la que murió de amor.
the one who died for love.