Pedro Navaja By Rueben Blades

Learn Spanish With Rubén Blades

Pedro Navaja

Por la esquina del viejo barrio lo vi pasar
On the corner of the old neighborhood I saw it happen
Con el tumbao que tienen los guapos al caminar
with the gait that the handsome men have when walking.
Las manos siempre en los bolsillos de su gabán
His hands always in the pockets of his overcoat
para que no sepan en cuál de ellas lleva el puñal
so that no one knows which one has the dagger.
Usa un sombrero de ala ancha de medio
Wearing a half wide-brimmed hat

y zapatillas por si hay problemas salir volao
and wearing sneakers if there are problems taking off.
lentes oscuros para que no sepan qué está mirando
dark glasses so that no one knows what he is looking at
Y un diente de oro que cuando rie se ve brillando
and a gold tooth that one can see shine when he smiles
Como a tres cuadras de aquella esquina una mujer.
A woman was three blocks from that corner.
Va recorriendo la acera entera por quinta vez
going up and down the side walk for the fifth time
Y en un zaguán entra y se da un trago para olvidar
and in from the alley way and gets a drink to forget
Que el día está flojo y no hay clientes para trabajar
that the day is slow and there aren't clients for work.
Un carro pasa muy despacito por la avenida
A car passes very slow through the avenue.
No tiene marcas pero todos saben que sea policia
It is unmarked but everyone knows it is police.
Pedro Navaja las manos siempre dentro el gabán,
Pedro Navaja always keeps his hands in his overcoat,
Mira y sonríe y el diente de oro vuelve a brillar.
looks and smiles and  his gold tooth shines once more.
Mientras camina pasa la vista de esquina a esquina.
While he walks he looks from corner to corner.
No se ve un alma Está desierta toda la avenida,
He doesn't see a soul. All of the avenue is deserted,
Cuando de pronto esa mujer sale del zaguán
when all of a sudden that woman comes from the alley way.
y Pedro Navaja aprieta un puño dentro 'el gabán
and Pedro Navaja grips his dagger inside his overcoat
Mira para un lado mira pal' otro y no ve a nadie
He looks from one side to the other and does not see anyone
y a la carrera pero sin ruido cruza la calle
and races without making a noise, crosses the street
Y mientras tanto en la otra acera va esa mujer
and meanwhile on the other sidewalk goes the woman.
Refunfuñando pues no hizo pesos con qué comer.
grumbling because she didn't make enough money to eat.
Mientras camina del viejo abrigo saca un revolver, esa mujer
Meanwhile,  that woman in an old coat takes out a gun
Iba a guardarlo en su cartera pa' que no estorbe.
She was saving it in her wallet so that it wouldn't get in the way.
Un treinta y ocho esmithanhueson del especial
A 38 Smith and Wessen's special.
que carga encima para que la libre de todo mal
that charges from above to free her from  all that is bad.
Y Pedro Navaja puñal en mano le fue pa' encima
And Pedro Navaja, dagger in hand did it from above
El diente de oro iba alumbrando
The gold tooth lighting up
Toda la avenida, se le hizo facil
all the avenue , making it easy
Mientras reia el puñal le hundía sin compasión
He was laughing when he sunk the dagger without compasion
Cuando de pronto sonó un disparo como un cañon.
When all of a sudden, a sound like a shot from a canon was heard.
Y Pedro Navaja cayó en la acera mientras veía, a esa mujer
and Pedro Navaja fell on the sidewalk while he saw that woman
Que revolver en mano y de muerte herida ahí le decía
with the gun in her hand and his fatal injury there, he was saying,
"Yo que pensaba hoy no es mi día estoy salá"
I was thinking that today is not my day I am out!"
Pero pedro navaja tu estas peor, no estas en nadad.
But you, Pedro Navaja,you are worse you are nothing.
Y creanme gente que aunque hubo ruido nadien salió
and believe me people that although there was noise, no one came out
No hubo curiosos. No hubo preguntas. Nadie lloró
Nobody was curious. There were no questions. Nobody cried.
Sólo un borracho con los dos cuerpos se tropezo
only a drunk, who stumbled over the two bodies
Cojio el revolver, el puñal, los pesos y se marchó
He picked up the gun, the dagger, the money, and left.
Y tropezando se fue cantando desafinao.
and staggering he left singing out of tune.
El coro que aqui les traje y da el mensaje de mi cancion
Here is the chorus that I brought to you and the message of my song:
La vida te da sorpresas. sorpresas te da la vida ay dios
Life brings you surprises. Surprises bring your life to God.
Pedró Navajas matón de esquina
Pedro Navajas, bully of the corner
Quien a hierro mata, a hierro termina
He who lives by the sword, dies by the sword.
La vida te da sorpresas
Life gives you surprises
Sorpresas te da la vida a dios
Surprises give life to  God
Valiente pescador, al anzuelo que tiraste
Brave fisherman, the hook that you cast
En vez de una sardina, un tiburón enganchaste
In place of a sardine, you snagged a shark.
La vida te da sorpresas
Life gives you surprises
Sorpresas te da la vida, a dios
Surprises give life to God.

Vocabulary

acera: sidewalk
ancha: wide
barrio: neighborhood
bolsillos: pockets
gabán: overcoat
guapos: handsome men
lentes: eyeglasses
puñal: dagger
refunfuñando: grumblings
zaguán: hallway, alleyway