Gracias a la vida

Chapter information

  • Chapter: 15
  • Page: 186

Audio

Spanish lyrics

Gracias a la Vida
Canta: Violeta Parra (Chile)

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 al 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 al 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, gracias a la vida.

English translation

Thanks be to Life
Gracias a la vida
Translation by Patricia V. Lunn

Thanks be to life that has given me so much
It’s given me two eyes that I can open
And clearly distinguish the light from the darkness
And the stars in the background of the high heavens
And among all the people my dearly beloved

Thanks be to life…
It has given me hearing that in its wide reaches
Records night and daytime, crickets and canaries
Hammers and turbines, and barking and rainstorms
And the caressing voice of my dearly beloved

Thanks be to life…
It has given me sounds and letters to spell with
And with them the words of my thinking and speaking
Mother, friend, brother and the light that is shining
On the route of the soul of my dearly beloved

Thanks be to life…
It has given me feet that are weary from walking
With them I’ve traveled through cities and puddles
Beaches and deserts and mountains and prairies
And to your house, and your street and your patio

Thanks be to life…
It has given me a heart that keeps on beating
As I ponder the limits of our understanding
As I ponder the chasm between good and evil
As I ponder the clear eyes of my dearly beloved

Thanks be to life…
Given me laughter and given me sorrow
So I can distinguish the good from the bad times
Which are the two sources of my singing
And of your song too, which is the same song
And the song of you all, which is my own song

Thanks be to life, thanks be to life