Gracias a la vida,

 

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Thanks to life, which has given me so much,

Me dio dos luceros, que cuando los abro

It gave me two bright eyes, that when opened,

Perfecto distingo lo negro del blanco

Can perfectly distinguish black from white,

 

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Thanks to life, which has given me so much,

Me ha dado el oido que todo su ancho

It gave me an ear that, in all of its breadth,

Graba noche y dia grillos y canarios

Records, night and day, crickets and canaries,

 

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Thanks to life, which has given me so much,

Me ha dado el sonido y el abecedario

It gave me the sound and the alphabet,

Con el las palabras que pienso y declaro

With them the words that I think and declare,

Madre, amigo, hermano, y luz alumbrando

Mother, friend, brother, and the light,

 

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Thanks to life which has given me so much,

Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados

It gave the ability to walk with my tired feet,

Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos

With them I traversed cities and puddles,

Valles y desiertos, montanas y llanos

Valley and deserts, mountains and plains,

 

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Thanks to life which has given me so much,

Me dio el corazon, que agita su marco

It gave me a heart, that causes my fame to shudder,

Cuando miro al bueno tan lejos del malo

When I see good so far from bad,

 

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto

Thanks to life which has given me so much

Me ha dado la risa, me ha dado el ilanto

It gave me laughter and it gave me tears,

Asi yo distingo dicha de quebranto

With them I distinguish happiness and pain

Los dos materiales que forman mi vida

The two materials from which my life is formed.

 

(Violeta Parra 1917-1967)