CUESTA ABAJO (DOWNHILL)

Lyrics byAlfredo Le Pera
Music by Carlos Gardel
Translation by Coby Lubliner

Si arrastré por este mundo la vergüenza de haber sido y el dolor de ya no ser, bajo el ala del sombrero cuantas veces embozada una lágrima asomada yo no pude contener. Si crucé por los caminos como un paria que el destino se empeñó en deshacer; si fui flojo, si fui ciego, solo quiero que comprendan el valor que representa el coraje de querer. Era, para mi la vida entera, como un sol de primavera mi esperanza y mi pasión. Sabía, que en el mundo no cabía toda la humilde alegría de mi pobre corazón. Ahora, cuesta abajo en mi rodada las ilusiones pasadas ya no las puedo arrancar. Sueño, con el pasado que añoro, el tiempo viejo que lloro y que nunca volverá... Por seguir tras de sus huellas yo bebí incansablemente en mi copa de dolor; pero nadie comprendía que si todo yo lo daba, en cada vuelta dejaba pedazos de corazón... Ahora, triste en la pendiente, solitario y ya vencido, yo me quiero confesar; si aquella boca mentía el amor que me ofrecía por aquellos ojos brujos yo habría dado siempre más... Era...

If this world has seen me dragging All the shame of what I have been And the pain of being no more, Yet so many times a muffled Tear my hat’s brim had been hiding Would begin a downward sliding That I could do nothing for. If I roamed and if I wandered Like an outcast who was haunted By a baleful destiny, If I have been weak and blinded, Still I want some understanding For the courage and the standing Of the love that was in me. Those days all my life was simply fashioned With my hope and with my passion, Just like sunshine in the spring. And I knew that the whole world could not capture All the humble joy and rapture That in my poor heart would sing. These days I’m incapable of tearing Out the old hopes I’m still bearing, Now that downhill is my track. Dreaming of the times I was in clover, Of the past I’m weeping over And that never will come back... Since I followed in her footsteps, I could never tire of drinking From the cup of pain unkind; But nobody understood that, With me giving, her receiving, At each turn I would be leaving Pieces of my heart behind... Now I’m sad and sliding downward, I’m so lonely and defeated, All I want is to confess: If that mouth was only fibbing Of the love that she was giving, For those eyes so full of magic I would not have given less... Those days...

Translation © 2004 by Jacob Lubliner