A Roundup of Lamento Borincano Interpreters

Bronx Latin Jazz All-Stars





Son Guajiro - Herencia Antillana





Laúd





Piano





Renato Pérez Guitar





Marc Anthony





Thanks to Lars Johnson, I have discovered a good rendition by a female vocalist,which is in the música típica tradition rather than in the operatic vein. It can be downloaded for a fee here. You have to scroll down through the album selections to find "Lamento Borincano." I have not figured out how to make it available as I have the above selections, but it is worth a listen.

Lamento Borincano by Rafael Hernández Marín

Sale loco de contento con su cargamento
Ecstatic with joy, he leaves with his load of products

para la ciudad ¡ay! para la ciudad
for the city. Oh! for the city.

lleva en su pensamiento todo un mundo
carrying in his thoughts an entire world

lleno de felicidad ¡ay! de felicidad.
filled with happiness. Oh! filled with happiness.

Piensa remediar la situación
He thinks of bettering the conditions

del hogar que es toda su ilusión, sí.
of the home representing all his illusions, yes.





Y alegre, el jibarito va pensando así,
Happily, the jibarito goes along, thinking,

diciendo así, cantando así por el camino:
saying, singing along the road:

“Si yo vendo la carga, mi dios querido,
“If I sell my products, my dear God,

un traje a mi viejita voy a comprar.”
I’ll buy a dress for my old lady.”




Y alegre, también su yegua va
Happily, his mare trots along

al presentir que aquel cantar
sensing that the song

es todo un himno de alegría.
is wholly a hymn of joy.

En eso les sorprende la luz del día
About then, daylight surprises them

y llegan al mercado de la ciudad.
and they reach the city market.




Pasa la mañana entera sin que nadie quiera
The whole morning passes and no one wants

su carga comprar ¡ay! su carga comprar.
to buy his products. Oh! to buy his products.

Todo, todo está desierto, y el pueblo está lleno
All, all is deserted, and the town suffers

de necesidad ¡ay! de necesidad.
from necessity. Oh! from necessity.

Se oye este lamento por doquier
This lament is heard throughout

de mi desdichada Borinquen, sí.
my unlucky Borinquen, yes.




Y triste, el jibarito va pensando así
Saddened, the jibarito goes along, thinking,

diciendo así, llorando así por el camino:
saying, crying down the road:

“¿Qué será de Borinquen, mi dios querido?
“What will become of Borinquen, my dear God?

¿Qué será de mis hijos y de mi hogar?”
What will become of my children and my home?



Borinquen, la tierra del Edén
Borinquen, Edenic land

la que al cantar el gran Gautier
which, in song, the great Gautier

llamó la perla de los mares.
called the pearl of the seas.

Ahora que tú te mueres con tus pesares,
Now that you drown in your sorrows,

déjame que te cante yo también. Yo también.
let me sing to you as well. As well.


Borinquen de mi amor
My beloved Borinquen


Yo soy hijo de Borinquen
I am a son of Borinquen

y eso nadie va a cambiar.
and no one will ever change that.


Yo soy hijo de Borinquen
I am a son of Borinquen

y eso nadie va a cambiar.
and no one will ever change that.



y el dia en que yo me muera
And on the day I die

en tí quiero descansar,
in you I wish to rest.


yo te adoro, Puerto Rico,
I adore you, Puerto Rico,

y eso nadie me lo va a quitar.
and no one will ever take that from me.


Translation by Judith Mercado. Please post suggestions for alternative translations if you wish.