Songs

Rosa fresca, rosa fresca—tan garrida y con amor,
Fresh rose, fresh rose, so graceful and loving,
Cuando yo’s tuve en mis brasos—no vos supe servir, no,
when I held you in my arms I did not know how to
Y agora que vos serviría—no vos puedo yo haber, no;
please you, and now that I would please you I cannot have you.
‘Vuestra fué la culpa, amigo,—vuestra fué, que mia no;
‘The fault was yours, friend. It was yours, not mine.
enviásteme una carta—con un vuestro servidor,
You sent me a letter by your servant;
y en lugar de recabdar,—él dijera otra razón:
and instead of delivering it, he told me another story,
qu’érades casado, amigo,—allá en tierras de Léon;
that you had married, friend, away in the land of Léon,
que tenéis mujer hermosa—y hijos como una flor.’
that you had a beautiful child and children as (fair as) a flower.’
‘Quien os lo dijo, señora,—no vos dijo verdad, non,
‘Whoever told you that, lady. Did not tell you the truth,
que yo nunca entré en Castilla,—ni allá en tierras de Léon,
for I have never been in Castile, nor yonder in the land of Léon,
sino cuando era pequeño—que no sabia d’amor.
except when I was small and knew nothing of love.’