Gracias a la Vida

(Violeta Parra)

Gracias a la Vida

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me dio dos luceros que, cuando los abro,
perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco,
y en el alto cielo su fondo estrellado
y en las multitudes el hombre que yo amo.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado el oído que, en todo su ancho,
graba noche y día grillos y canarios;
martillos, turbinas, ladridos, chubascos,
y la voz tan tierna de mi bien amado.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario,
con él las palabras que pienso y declaro:
madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando
la ruta del alma del que estoy amando.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados;
con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos,
playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos,
y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me dio el corazón que agita su marco
cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano;
cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo,
cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.
Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto.
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto,
los dos materiales que forman mi canto,
y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto
y el canto de todos, que es mi propio canto.

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto.

Thanks to Life

Thanks to Life, which has given me so much
It gave me two eyes which, when I open them,
clearly tell black from white
And in the sky, the background of stars
And in the multitudes, the one that I love.

Thanks to Life, which has given me so much
It has given me hearing with all its range
Which records, night and day, crickets and canaries
Hammers, fans, barking, downpours
And the tender voice of my loved one.

Thanks to Life, which has given me so much
It has given me voice and alphabet
And the words that I think and speak:
Mother, friend, brother, and shining light
The road to the heart of the one I'm loving.

Thanks to Life, which has given me so much
It has given me the steps of my tired feet
With which I walked through cities and puddles
Beaches and deserts, mountains and plains
And your house, your street, and your patio.

Thanks to Life, which has given me so much
It gave me the heart that shakes its own frame
When I see the fruit of the human mind
When I see the good, so far from the bad
When I see the depths of your clear eyes.

Thanks to Life, which has given me so much
It has given me laughter and it has given me tears
Thus I distinguish happiness from sorrow
The two materials that form my song
And your song, which is the same song
And the song of everyone, which is my own song.

Thanks to Life, which has given me so much

-- translated by David Anderson