If You Could See Her

Si Usted La Viera

The confessor tells me not to love youEl confesor me dice que no te quiera
And I say: Father, if you could see herY yo le digo: Padre, si usted la viera
He says your love drives me crazyDice que tus amores me vuelven loco
That I neglect my duties, that I sleep so littleQue mi deber no atiendo, que duermo poco
That I sleep so littleQue duermo poco

He says our many conversationsDice que nuestras muchas conversaciones
Stir up gossip in the villageFomentan en la aldea murmuraciones
He says it would be easy not to love youDice que no quererte, fácil me fuera
And I say: Father, if you could see herY yo le digo: Padre, si usted la viera
If you could see herSi usted la viera

I assure him in vain that you’re so pureEn vano le aseguro que eres tan pura
One must pray before your beautyHay que rezar delante de tu hermosura
That you’re graceful, lovely, like a lilyQue eres gentil, airosa, cual azucena
That from your lips, come spikenard and verbenaQue nacen de tus labios, nardo y verbena

What are May showers, compared to your curls?¿Qué son lluvias de mayo, tus prontos rizos?
And that I can’t live without your charmsY que vivir no puedo sin tus hechizos
He tells me gruffly it’s a grand illusionÉl me dice muy hosco que es gran quimera
And I say: Father, if you could see herY yo le digo: Padre, si usted la viera

Confessing that my soul is in your eyesConfesando que el alma tengo en tus ojos
The priest shouts at me in angerMe grita el padre cura con mil enojos
What a great sin he wouldn’t forgiveQué pecado tan grande no perdonaba
And that if I loved you, I’d be condemnedY que si te quería, me condenaba
I’d be condemnedMe condenaba

Then, with sweet, passionate loveEntonces, con amante dulce, arrebato
From my heart, I pulled out a pictureDel pecho en que lo llevo saqué un retrato
And the priest, seeing your image, light of my soulY el cura al ver tu imagen, luz de alma mía
Staring at it, he smiledContemplándolo absorto, se sonreía
He smiledÉl sonreía

That truly reflects holy loveEsa sí que refleja santos amores
He thought you were the Virgin of SorrowsCreyó que eras la Virgen de los Dolores
That one, so beautiful, what light shines?Esa as que es hermosa, ¿qué luz destella?
And I said: Father, well, this is herY yo le dije: Padre, pues esta es ella

Forgotten, the priest of his crownOlvidado y el cura de su corona
Said, opening his eyes: Lovely personDijo abriendo los ojos: Linda persona
If she’s as good as she is beautiful, may she love you in peaceSi es buena como hermosa, que en paz te quiera
And I said: Father, if you could see herY yo le dije: Padre, si usted la viera