Coplas Oaxaqueñas

Oaxacan Verses

Coplas Oaxaqueñas

If my memory serves me wellSi se presta mi memoria
I'll sing modern versesCantaré versos modernos
And I'll tell you a storyY les contaré una historia
That yesterday I left hellQue ayer salí del infierno
Today I placed myself in gloryHoy me coloqué en la gloria
To get through the winterPara pasar el invierno

I'm the devil who has arrivedSoy el diablo que ha llegado
Even if you can't see meAunque no me puedan ver
I'm not asking for creditNo vengo pidiendo fiado
Nor for foodNi tampoco de comer

I don't sing like a madmanYo no canto como un loco
About all the pleasuresDe toditos los placeres
With my singing I provokeCon mi cantar yo provoco
Joys and desiresAlegrías y quereres
I come to sing a littleYo vengo a cantar un poco
Let the women come closerQue se arrimen las mujeres

I would like to sing loudlyYo quisiera cantar alto
But my chest can't handle itPero mi pecho no aguanta
With the dust of the roadCon el polvo del camino
My throat dries upSe me seca la garganta

To improve my lifePara mejorar mi vida
I fell in love with deathMe enamoré de la muerte
And I ran into good luckY corrí con buena suerte
Because I made her my belovedPorque la hice mi querida
Now I feel very strongOra me siento muy fuerte
Because I have her birthedPorque la tengo parida

If I overstep in somethingSi en algo yo me propaso
Just pretend not to noticeVáyanme disimulando
And whoever the shoe fitsY a la que le queda el saco
Let them buckle itQue se lo vaya abrochando

Seeing myself so ruinedDe verme tan arruinado
I went to TuxtepecMe fui para Tuxtepec
And shortly after arrivingY al poco de haber llegado
I found some luckUna suerte me encontré
I haven't taken advantage of itNo la he aprovechado
Because I wasted itPorque la desperdicié

When I had moneyCuando yo tenía dinero
They called me Don NicolásMe decian Don Nicolás
Now that I have nothingOra que no tengo nada
You just call me ColásMe dices: Colás, nomás

I'm a bull without hornsYo soy torete sin fierro
I tell you with determinationSe los digo con empeño
There's no woman who is uglyNo hay morena que sea fea
Or Quetzal that has an ownerNi Quetzal que tenga dueño
If you don't know, don't get involvedSi no sabes, no te metas
Under the Oaxacan skyBajo el cielo oaxaqueño

To the one who went out to danceA esa que salió a bailar
My heart follows herMi corazón la persigue
Tell me what her name isDíganme cómo se llama
I ask where she livesYo pregunto dónde vive

I say goodbye, but I'll be backMe despido, pero vuelvo
To show my worthA demostrar lo que valgo
My dark-skinned one, don't be afraidMi prieta, no tengas miedo
You have my supportQue tú tienes mi respaldo
You see how much, peppermintYa ves cuánto, yerbabuena
You'll add flavor to the brothLe has de dar sabor al caldo

Everyone says goodbyeTodos echan despedida
But not like minePero no como la mía
On the tip of my tongueEn la punta de la lengua
I carry the Virgin MaryTraigo a la Virgen María