El Cielo del Albañil

The Mason's Sky

El Cielo del Albañil

There close to the sky among the scaffoldingAllá cerquita del cielo entre los andamios
Sitting like a cowboy, drinking mateSentado como un tropero está mateando
Just as if he were in the middle of the fieldIgual como si estuviera en medio del campo
Under some shade next to a backwaterDebajo de alguna sombra junto a un remanso

Speaking few words, I've seen VargasHablando pocas palabras lo he visto a vargas
Sitting like that, squatting, looking far awaySentado así de cuclillas mirando lejos
Enclosed by concrete; he can't find his sky hereCercado entre el hormigón; no encuentra su cielo aquí
In vain he's looking for it amidst so much grayDe balde lo está buscando entre tanto gris

On the radio unintentionallyEn la radio sin querer
Like an elf, the accordionComo un duende el acordeón
Stretching a chamaméEstirando un chamamé
It shakes his heartLe estremece el corazón
And it even seems to himY hasta le parece angá
That if he lets out a shoutQue si suelta un sapucay
The laborers will hear himLos peones lo han de oír
In the estate, the paradiseEn la estancia el paraisal

Seeing him like that, it seems to me he's herdingAl verlo así me parece que anda tropeando
With his buddy Lalanda as he did long agoCon su compadre lalanda como hace tanto
How sad it is to see him among the scaffolding!¡Qué pena me da mirarlo entre los andamios!
With all that sky inside him as if bleedingCon todo ese cielo adentro como sangrando

Behind the shivering flight of a doveDetrás del vuelo aterido de una paloma
His black eyes narrow looking far awaySe achican sus ojos negros mirando lejos
Enclosed by concrete; the mason's skyCercado entre el hormigón; el cielo del albañil
Stained with sand and lime, it ends thereManchado de arena y cal se termina allí

One day he will return; he liked being a laborerAlgún día volverá; le gustaba ser peón
He doesn't find himself around here anymore, if there's an opportunityNo se halla por acá ya de haber una ocasión
Meanwhile, upon hearing a chamamé on the radioMientras tanto al escuchar; por la radio un chamamé
He lets out a shout; it's his way of coming backEl remonta un sapucay; es su modo de volver