A La Luz Del Candil

In the Light of the Candle

A La Luz Del Candil

May I have your permission, Mr. Commissioner?¿me da su permiso, señor comisario?
Excuse me if I come in so poorly dressed,Disculpe si vengo tan mal entrazao,
I am a stranger and I have fallen into the rosary,Yo soy forastero y he caido al rosario,
Bringing in the reins a good entripao.Trayendo en los tientos un güen entripao.
Perhaps you think I am a thug,Acaso usted piense que soy un matrero,
I am an honest gaucho through and through,Yo soy gaucho honrado a carta cabal,
I am not a drunkard nor am I a cattle rustler;No soy un borracho ni soy un cuatrero;
Mr. Commissioner... I am a criminal!...¡señor comisario... yo soy criminal!...

Arrest me, sergeant,¡arrésteme, sargento,
And put me in chains!...Y póngame cadenas!...
If I am a delinquent,¡si soy un delincuente,
May God forgive me!Que me perdone dios!

I used to be a good countryman,Yo he sido un criollo güeno,
My name is Alberto Arenas.Me llamo alberto arenas.
Sir... they betrayed me,¡señor... me traicionaban,
And I killed them both!Y los maté a los dos!
My woman was wicked,Mi china fue malvada,
My friend was a scoundrel;Mi amigo era un sotreta;
When I went to another landCuando me fui a otro pago
The unfaithful one humiliated me.Me basureó la infiel.
The proof of infamyLas pruebas de la infamia
I carry in my suitcase:Las traigo en la maleta:
My woman's braids¡las trenzas de mi china
And his heart!Y el corazón de él!

Stand up, sergeant, I don't back down!...¡párese, sargento, que no me retobo!...
I want them to know the truth in full...Yo quiero que sepan la verdad de a mil...
The night was dark as a wolf's mouth;La noche era oscura como boca'e lobo;
Witness, all alone, the light of a candle.Testigo, solito, la luz de un candil.
In the end, almost nothing: a kiss in the shadows...Total, casi nada: un beso en la sombra...
Two bodies fell, and a curse;Dos cuerpos cayeron, y una maldición;
And there, commissioner, if you are not amazed,Y allí, comisario, si usted no se asombra,
I found two sheaths for my knife.Yo encontré dos vainas para mi facón.

Arrest me, sergeant,¡arrésteme, sargento,
And put me in chains!...Y póngame cadenas!...
If I am a delinquent,¡si soy un delincuente,
May God forgive me!Que me perdone dios!

Stand up, sergeant, I don't back down!...¡párese, sargento, que no me retobo!...
I want them to know the truth in full...Yo quiero que sepan la verdad de a mil...
The night was dark as a wolf's mouth;La noche era oscura como boca'e lobo;
Witness, all alone, the light of a candle.Testigo, solito, la luz de un candil.
In the end, almost nothing: a kiss in the shadows...Total, casi nada: un beso en la sombra...
Two bodies fell, and a curse;Dos cuerpos cayeron, y una maldición;
And there, commissioner, if you are not amazed,Y allí, comisario, si usted no se asombra,
I found two sheaths for my knife.Yo encontré dos vainas para mi facón.

Arrest me, sergeant,¡arrésteme, sargento,
And put me in chains!...Y póngame cadenas!...
If I am a delinquent,¡si soy un delincuente,
May God forgive me!Que me perdone dios!