COIMBRA

Music by Raúl Ferrão
Lyrics by José Galhardo
Translation by Coby Lubliner

Coimbra é uma lição
de sonho e tradição,
o lente é uma canção
e a lua a faculdade.
O livro é uma mulher,
só passa quem souber
e aprende-se a dizer saudade.

Coimbra do choupal
ainda és capital
do amor em Portugal, ainda.
Coimbra onde uma vez
com lágrimas se fez
a história dessa Inês tão linda.

Coimbra das canções,
tão meiga que nos pões
os nossos corações a nu...
Coimbra dos doutores,
pra nós os seus cantores,
a fonte dos amores és tu.

 

Coimbra always seems
Tradition-bound with dreams,
Where songs are read as themes,
The moon’s a seat of learning.
The textbook is a lass,
And only they can pass
Who’ve studied in a class of yearning.

Coimbra with its trees,
As everyone still sees,
Is for the Portuguese love’s city,
Where in the olden days,
The tale that still dismays
Was told of that Inez, so pretty.

Coimbra of the arts,
Where singers play their parts
In seeing our hearts laid bare…
With your scholars, too,
For us who sing of you,
The source of love that’s true is there.

Translation © 2016 by Jacob Lubliner

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