Pájaro de rodilla

Kneeling Bird

Pájaro de rodilla

Singer who sings is a birdCantor que canta es pájaro
little chest of seedspechito de semillas
canting in the taverncantando en la taberna
or with a sick voiceo con la voz enferma
he doesn't sing on his kneesno canta de rodillas

You can see him flappingPuedes verlo agitando
his yellow wingslas alas amarillas
eyes closedcon los ojos cerrados
and tired hearty el corazón cansado
but never on his kneesmas nunca de rodillas
but never on his kneesmas nunca de rodillas

The little bird can'tNo puede el pajarito
stand on his perchparadito en su horquilla
or on the highest brancho en la rama más alta
or on the humble grasso en la humilde gramilla
kneel downponerse de rodillas

I speak of the little birdHablo del pajarito
and his little songy de su cancioncilla
that may be born trueque puede nacer cierta
that may be born deadque puede nacer muerta
but not on his kneespero no de rodillas
but not on his kneespero no de rodillas

There's no true songNo hay canto verdadero
or song so simpleni canción tan sencilla
that the bird, when singing itque el pájaro al cantarla
to give it morepara más entregarla
puts it on its kneesla ponga de rodillas

And I don't defend the songY no defiendo al canto
but the little birdsino a la pajarilla
of paper that makes a trillde papel que hace un trino
tomorrow a mistakemañana un desatino
but never on his kneesmas nunca de rodillas
but never on his kneesmas nunca de rodillas

And he who sings to the tyrantY el que canta al tirano
is neither bird nor anythingno es pájaro ni es nada
he's a reptile from the swampes reptil del pantano
clucking for the mastercloqueando para el amo
on bended kneede rodilla doblada

Singer who sings is a birdCantor que canta es pájaro
little chest of seedspechito de semillas
canting in the taverncantando en la taberna
or with a sick voiceo con la voz enferma
he doesn't sing on his kneesno canta de rodillas
he doesn't sing on his kneesno canta de rodillas