Filho Ingrato

Ungrateful Son

Once I was traveling through this Brazil afar
When I found myself in the backlands
On a dirt road, it was late, around 3 am
Suddenly, my car broke down
I closed the windows, left it parked there

And went to seek help
When I saw a house nearby
The place was deserted
I started walking along the trail
Approaching slowly
And before I knew it, I was close
I shouted for help

The house seemed abandoned
The door was not locked
I opened it, went inside
At the entrance, I saw someone lived there
There was an old bed
Two pots on the shelf
In a corner, a bench leaned
The wood stove beside

And the water jug was the fridge
Suddenly I heard a groan
I entered and saw an old man fallen
Who said to me with a trembling voice:
My son, sit here by my side
Just listen, stay silent
To the story of my life...

I was a cheerful young man
I was the king of the cowboys
Had a life to give and sell
On the guitar, I was a whip
I worked day and night
Just didn't know how to read and write

I fell in love with a girl
Named Tereza
And on the day of our wedding
We danced into the night
And I made my plans
I'll build our little house
Raise cattle, raise chickens
Even if it took many years

But then came the sadness
My dear Tereza
Couldn't bear the child
She felt the pain of childbirth
And right there in that room
She passed away and went to be with God

It was just me and the boy
I outlined his destiny there and swore to him
To give him an education
Even if it meant sacrifice
If it was for his benefit
I would shed blood
But those who have God don't worry

Even living a hard life
I couldn't complain
I was very brave
The boy intelligent
Rice and beans would never be lacking
I remember as if it were now
Him coming home from school
On the last day of the year

And with his simplicity he said to me
Father, I want to go to college
For that is my plan
And he went to the big city
Leaving me here so far away
To succeed in his future
I saved money, worked day and night
To support his education

Four years passed
And I in the fields struggling
In a very tough life
But I thanked heaven
For the grace I received
Because the day of his graduation arrived
I put on my burlap suit
I had no other clothes
On my feet, my old big shoe
With dirty nails from the earth
I crossed valleys, crossed mountains
To see my son receive his education

I arrived in the city
And with my simplicity
I entered the hall
When I saw my son by his side
He looked handsome, he was well-dressed
And I walked towards him with open arms

But at that moment he moved away
With a smiling face
He criticized my old clothes
The dirty nails from the earth
Said he was ashamed of me
He left and left me there in a corner
Tears streamed from my eyes
And a great pain in my chest
For there he despised me
Whom I had helped so much
From the depths of my love

I left the hall
Crossed that crowd
With a heart full of torment
So I returned to this little house
To live my little life
And forget my suffering
Today... today I am old, I know!
From all the work I did
Of my pain that feels more like a wound
I never saw my son again
Today he must be a doctor or a man of means
And here I am, at the end of my life

But go, leave now
And if one day you find my son
On this road afar
Tell him that the burlap suit
That I wore on the day of his graduation
Is the same suit I wore
On the day I married

With the one who died to give him life
And it is with him that I will go to the grave
Also tell him that it was with that old big shoe
That I worked and pulled from this land
The sustenance for his future
And the dirty nails from the earth
Represent the graduation ring
Of one who never had an education

And finally, tell him that I forgive him
That I bless him in God's name
And I do not complain about my cross
My suffering was so great
But it does not compare at any moment
To the suffering of Jesus