Mi Viejo Mate Galleta

My Old Mate Cookie

Mi Viejo Mate Galleta

My old mate cookie,Mi viejo mate galleta,
what sorrow I felt for losing you,que pena me dio perderte,
what hand cut short your luck,que mano tronchó tu suerte,
maybe the hand of time,tal vez la mano del tiempo,
I even thought you were eternal,si hasta creí que eras eterno,
never imagined your death.nunca imaginé tu muerte.

In your green belly,En tu pancita verdosa,
how many landscapes I saw,cuantos paisajes miré,
how many verses I strung together,cuantos versos hilvané,
while enjoying your bitterness.mientras gozaba tu amargo.
How many times I made you last,Cuántas veces te hice largo,
and you knew why.y vos sabías porqué.

When the yerba mate was scarce,Cuando la yerba escaseaba,
due to lack of coins,por falta de patacones,
you never asked for reasons,nunca pediste razones,
but you gave me advice,pero me diste consejos,
drink up, but grow old,chupá, pero hacete viejo,
without reaching the heels.sin llegar a los talones.

And in those dark winters,Y en esos negros inviernos,
when the frost whitened,cuando la escarcha blanqueaba,
your little body warmed up,tu cuerpito calentaba,
my hands with its heat,mis manos con su calor,
so that the singing friend,pa que el amigo cantor,
would join the guitar,se prendiera a la guitarra,

and right there the party started,y ahí nomás se hacía la farra,
you and I, in a one-on-one,vos y yo, en un mano a mano,
mate and guitar in the clearing,mate y guitarra en el claro,
mate and guitar in the shade,mate y guitarra en la sombra,
for miles around,en leguas a la redonda,
there was no better waterhole.no hubo jagüel orejano.

Ah, companion and brother,Ah, compañero y hermano,
what a sneaky destiny,que destino tan sotreta,
I never gave you the lime,nunca le di a la limeta,
I found calm in you.en vos encontré la calma.
In this farewell, I put my soul,En este adiós pongo el alma,
my old mate cookie.mi viejo mate galleta.