Lyrics and translation Mafalda Veiga - Balada de um Soldado

Balada de um Soldado

Madre, anoche en las trincheras
Entre el fuego y la metralla
Vi un enemigo correr
La noche estaba cerrada
La apunté con mi fusil
Y al tiempo que disparaba
Una luz iluminó
El rostro que yo mataba
Clavó su mirada en mí
Con sus ojos ya vacíos
Madre, ¿sabes quién maté?
Aquél soldado enemigo
Era mi amigo José
Compañero de la escuela
Con quien tanto yo jugué
De soldados y trincheras
Hoy el fuego era verdad
Y mi amigo ya se entierra
Madre, yo quiero morir
Estoy harto de esta guerra
Y si vuelvo a escribir
Tal vez lo haga del cielo
Donde encontraré a José
Y jugaremos de nuevo
Madre, ¿sabes quién maté?
Aquél soldado enemigo
Era mi amigo José
Compañero de la escuela
Con quien tanto yo jugué
De soldados y trincheras
Madre, ¿sabes quién maté?
Aquél soldado enemigo
Era mi amigo José

A Soldier's Ballad

Mother, last night in the trenches
Amidst the fire and the shell
I saw an enemy running
The night was dark and fell
I aimed my rifle at him
And as I pulled the trigger
A light flashed on
The face that I was killing
He fixed his gaze on me
With his eyes now void
Mother, do you know who I killed?
That enemy soldier
Was my friend José
Schoolmate and playmate
With whom I often toyed
Of soldiers and trenches
Today the fire was real
And my friend is now buried
Mother, I want to die
I'm tired of this war
And if I write again
Perhaps I'll do it from heaven
Where I'll meet José again
And we'll play once more
Mother, do you know who I killed?
That enemy soldier
Was my friend José
Schoolmate and playmate
With whom I often toyed
Of soldiers and trenches
Mother, do you know who I killed?
That enemy soldier
Was my friend José