Soldadito Boliviano

Bolivian Soldier

Soldadito Boliviano

Four years have passed and here we are, dismayed, furious even though this death is one of the predictable absurdities. It's shameful to look at the paintings, the armchairs, the carpets. Shameful to feel cold and huddle by the stove as always, to be hungry and eat, such a simple thing. It's shameful the comfort and asthma is shameful when you, commander, are falling, machine-gunned, fabulous, mythical.Hace ya cuatro años y así estamos, consternados, rabiosos aunque esta muerte sea uno de los absurdos previsibles. Da vergüenza mirar los cuadros, los sillones, las alfombras. Vergüenza tener frío y arrimarse a la estufa como siempre, tener hambre y comer, esa cosa tan simple. Da vergüenza el confort y el asma da vergüenza cuando vos comandante estás cayendo ametrallado, fabuloso, mítico.

Bolivian soldier, Bolivian soldierSoldadito de Bolivia, soldadito boliviano
Armed with your rifle, an American rifleArmado vas de tu rifle que es un rifle americano
An American rifle, Bolivian soldierQue es un rifle americano, soldadito de Bolivia
An American rifleQue es un rifle americano

Mr. Barrientos gave it to you, Bolivian soldierTe lo dio el señor Barrientos, soldadito boliviano
A gift from Mr. Johnson to kill your brotherRegalo de Mister Johnson para matar a tu hermano
To kill your brother, Bolivian soldierPara matar a tu hermano, soldadito de Bolivia
To kill your brotherPara matar a tu hermano

You don't know who the dead one is, Bolivian soldierNo sabes quien es el muerto, soldadito boliviano
The dead one is Che Guevara, Argentine and CubanEl muerto es el Che Guevara y era Argentino y Cubano
Argentine and Cuban, Bolivian soldiery era Argentino y Cubano, soldadito de Bolivia
Argentine and Cubany era Argentino y Cubano

My guitar is whole, Bolivian soldierEstá mi guitarra entera, soldadito boliviano
In mourning but it doesn't cry even though crying is humanDe luto pero no llora aunque llorar es humano
Even though crying is human, Bolivian soldieraunque llorar es humano soldadito de Bolivia
Even though crying is humanaunque llorar es humano

It doesn't cry because the time, Bolivian soldierNo llora porque la hora, soldadito boliviano
Is not for tears and handkerchiefs but for machete in handNo es de lágrima y pañuelo sino de machete en mano
But for machete in hand, Bolivian soldiersino de machete en mano, soldadito de Bolivia
But for machete in handsino de machete en mano

With the copper they pay you, Bolivian soldierCon el cobre que te paga, soldadito boliviano
What they sell you, what they buy from you is what the tyrant thinksQue te vende que te compra es lo que piensa el tirano
Is what the tyrant thinks, Bolivian soldieres lo que piensa el tirano, soldadito de Bolivia
Is what the tyrant thinkses lo que piensa el tirano.

Wherever you are, if you areDonde estés, si es que estás
If you are arrivingSi estas llegando
It will be a shame if there is no GodSerá una pena que no exista Dios
But there will be others, of course there will be othersPero habrá otros, claro que habrá otros
Worthy of receiving you, commanderDignos de recibirte comandante

But learning will be tough, Bolivian soldierPero aprender va a ser duro, soldadito boliviano
That a brother is not to be killed, that a brother is not to be killedQue a un hermano no se le mata, que no se mata a un hermano
That a brother is not to be killed, Bolivian soldierque no se mata a un hermano, soldadito de Bolivia
That a brother is not to be killedque no se mata a un hermano.
That a brother is not to be killedque no se mata a un hermano.