Artist & Tune
Version by León Gieco
Version by Mercedes Sosa
Version by Luciano Pereyra
Version by Shakira
Version by Bruce Springsteen
Version by Ana Belén, Antonio Flores
About the Song
Sólo le pido a Dios
Que-el dolor no me sea indiferente
Que la reseca muerte no me-encuentre
Vacío-y solo, sin haber hecho lo suficiente
Sólo le pido a Dios
Que lo-injusto no me sea indiferente
Que no me-abofeteen la-otra mejilla
Después que-una garra me-arañó-esta suerte
Sólo le pido a Dios
Que la guerra no me sea indiferente
Es un monstruo grande-y pisa fuerte
Toda la pobre-inocencia de la gente
Sólo le pido a Dios
Que-el engaño no me sea indiferente
Si-un traidor puede más que-unos cuantos
Que-esos cuantos no lo-olviden fácilmente
Sólo le pido a Dios
Que-el futuro no me sea indiferente
Desahuciado-está-él que tiene que marchar
A vivir una cultura diferente
(c) 1979 SADAIC Latin Copyrights Inc. All rights reserved.
Translation(s)
I ONLY ASK OF GOD
literal translation:
I only ask of God
That I not be indifferent to pain,
That the arid death does not find me,
Empty & lonely, without having done enough.
I only ask of God
That I not be indifferent to injustice,
That they do not slap me on the other cheek
After a claw scratched me this luck.
I only ask of God
That I not be indifferent to war,
It is a huge monster & it crushes hard
The poor innocence of the people.
I only ask of God
That I not be indifferent to deception,
If a traitor is more powerful than [the] many,
That these many don't forget him easily.
I only ask of God
That I not be indifferent to the future,
Hopeless is the one who has to leave
And live a different culture.
Translator's note: it's difficult to find the correct translation for subjunctives.
About the war being a big monster "pisar" (comes from "pie" –foot- not piss…) means to step on something so war steps hard on people and crushes them, it's why I used "crush" but if you find a better image
A less literal and (perhaps!) singable translation:
I only ask of God
That I never grow numb to pain
That the desert of death does not find me
Alone & having done too little.
I only ask of God
That I never grow numb to injustice,
That they do not slap my cheek
After claws have scratched me this fate.
I only ask of God
That I never grow numb to war,
War’s a monster that crushes beneath it
The innocence of the people
I only ask of God
That I never grow numb to lies,
That if a traitor overpowers the many,
Then the many never forget this
I only ask ofGod
That I neeer grow numb to the future
Or to the desperation
Of those forced from their homes - forever.