Zamba de Mi Esperanza
(Song of My Hope)
folk song of Argentina ("Zamba" is the name of a traditional dance).
sung by Patricia Cummings
photo by Charlotte Croft
Words and Translation
Zamba de mi esperanza
amanecida como un querer,
sueño, sueño del alma
que a veces muere sin florecer.
Zamba, a ti te canto
porque tu canto derrama amor,
caricia de tu pañuelo
que va envolviendo mi corazón.
Estrella, tú que miraste,
tú que escuchaste mi padecer,
estrella, deja que cante,
deja que quiera como yo sé.
El tiempo que va pasando
como la vida no vuelve más,
el tiempo me va matando
y tu cariño será, será.
Hundido en horizontes
soy polvareda que al viento va
Zamba, ya no me dejes,
yo sin tu canto no vivo más.
Estrella, tú que miraste
tú que escuchaste mi padecer
estrella, deja que cante,
deja que quiera como yo sé.
(The last two lines in each verse are sung twice.)
Pedro Oliveros of Lima, Peru kindly provided several updates to the version of this song that I learned in Spain. There, they sang, "caricia de mi pañuelo que va envolviendo tú corazón," and "hundido el horizonte."
Zamba of my hope,
dawned like a love.
Dream, dream of the soul
that sometimes dies without blooming.
Zamba, I sing to you
Because your song spreads love.
Caress of your handkerchief
that is enveloping my heart.
Star, you who looked at me,
You who listened to my suffering.
Star, allow me to sing,
allow me to love as I know how.
Time is passing
and life will never return again.
Time is killing me
and you affections will be, will be.
Submerged in horizons,
I am (but) a cloud of dust that blows into the wind.
Zamba, do not leave me yet.
Without your song, I no longer live.
Star, you who looked at me,
you who listened to my suffering,
star, allow me to sing,
allow me to love as I know how.