El Preso N0 9
Chavela Vargas
Lyrics
Translation
Al preso número nueve
To prisoner number nine
Ya lo van a confesar
They are about to confess
Está rezando en la celda
He is praying in the cell
Con el cura del penal
With the prison chaplain
Porque antes de amanecer
Because before dawn
La vida le han de quitar
They will take his life
Porque mató a su mujer
Because he killed his wife
Y a un amigo desleal
And a disloyal friend
Dice así, al confesor
He says to the confessor
Los maté, sí señor
I killed them, yes, sir
Y si vuelvo a nacer
And if I were to be born again
Yo los vuelvo a matar
I would kill them again
Padre no me arrepiento
Father, I do not repent
Ni me da miedo la eternidad
Nor am I afraid of eternity
Yo sé que allá en el cielo
I know that up in heaven
El juez supremo me juzgará
The Supreme Judge will judge me
Voy a seguir sus pasos
I will follow in their footsteps
Voy a buscarlos al más allá
I will seek them beyond
El preso número nueve
Prisoner number nine
Era un hombre muy cabal
Was a very upright man
Iba la noche del duelo
He went on the night of mourning
Muy contento a su jacal
Very content to his shack
Pero al mirar a su amor
But upon seeing his love
En brazos de su rival
In the arms of his rival
Ardió en su pecho el rencor
Resentment burned in his chest
Y no se pudo aguantar
And he could not endure it
Dice así, al confesor
He says to the confessor
Los maté, sí señor
I killed them, yes, sir
Y si vuelvo a nacer
And if I were to be born again
Yo los vuelvo a matar
I would kill them again
Padre no me arrepiento
Father, I do not repent
Ni me da miedo la eternidad
Nor am I afraid of eternity
Yo sé que allá en el cielo
I know that up in heaven
El juez supremo me juzgará
The Supreme Judge will judge me
Voy a seguir sus pasos
I will follow in their footsteps
Voy a buscarlos al más allá
I will seek them beyond
Ah-ah, ah-ah
Ah-ah, ah-ah