Victor Jara - Arlo Guthrie translation in German

Victor Jara

Victor Jara of Chile
Lived like a shooting star
He fought for the people of Chile
With his songs and his guitar
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

Victor Jara was a peasant
Who worked from a few years old
He sat upon his father's plow
And watched the earth unfold
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

Now when the neighbors had a wedding
Or one of their children died
His mother sang all night for them
With Victor by her side
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

He grew up to be a fighter
Against the people's wrongs
He listened to their grief and joy
And turned them into songs
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

He sang about the copper miners
And those who worked the land
He sang about the factory workers
And they knew he was their man
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

He campaigned for Allende
Working night and day
He sang, "take hold of your brother's hand
The future begins today"
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

Then the generals seized Chile
They arrested Victor then
They caged him in a stadium
With five thousand frightened men
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

Victor stood in the stadium
His voice was brave and strong
And he sang for his fellow prisoners
'Til the guards cut short his song
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

They broke the bones in both his hands
They beat him on the head
They tore him with electric shocks
And then they shot him dead
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

Victor Jara of Chile
Lived like a shooting star
And he fought for the people of Chile
With his songs and his guitar
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong
His hands were gentle, his hands were strong

Victor Jara

Victor Jara aus Chile
Lebte wie ein Sternschnuppenschweif
Er kämpfte für das Volk von Chile
Mit seinen Liedern und der Gitarre
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Victor Jara war ein Bauer
Der schon als Kind arbeiten musst'
Er saß auf dem Pflug des Vaters
Sah die Erde sich entfalten
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Wenn nun Nachbarn eine Hochzeit feiert'n
Oder eines ihrer Kinder starb
Sang seine Mutter für sie bis früh
Und Victor war an ihrer Seit'
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Er wuchs zu einem Kämpfer her
Gegen das Unrecht dem Volk gescheh'n
Hörte ihren Schmerz, hörte ihre Freud'
Und machte Lieder daraus geschmeidig
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Er sang von den Kupferminenarbeitern
Und denen, die bestellten das Land
Er sang von den Fabrikarbeitern
Und sie wussten, er war ihr Mann
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Er kämpfte für Allendes Wahl
Arbeitete bei Tag und Nacht
Er sang: "Ergreife deines Bruders Hand
Die Zukunft beginnt heute, erwacht!"
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Dann ergriffen Generäle Chile
Sie nahmen Victor Jara fest
Sie sperrten ihn in ein Stadion
Mit fünftausend verzagten Männern
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Victor stand in dem Stadion
Seine Stimme, mutig und stark
Und für seine Mitgefang'nen sang er
Bis Wachen ihn gewaltsam unterbrachen
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Sie brachen Knochen in beiden Händ'
Sie schlugen auf seinen Kopf
Sie folterten mit Elektroschock
Und schossen dann ihn tot
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark

Victor Jara aus Chile
Lebte wie ein Sternschnuppenschweif
Er kämpfte für das Volk von Chile
Mit seinen Liedern und der Gitarre
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark
Seine Hände waren sanft, seine Hände waren stark