QUE SE NOS VA LA PASCUA (Spanish) (1582) Luis de Góngora y Argote (1561-1627) / Paco Ibañez (1934 - ) (Only verses 1, 4, 5 and 6 are sung) ¡Que se nos va la Pascua, mozas, Que se nos va la Pascua! 1 Mozuelas las de mi barrio, Loquillas y confiadas, Mirad no os engañe el tiempo, La edad y la confianza. No os dejéis lisonjear De la juventud lozana, Porque de caducas flores Teje el tiempo sus guirnaldas. ¡Que se nos va la Pascua, mozas, Que se nos va la Pascua! 2 Vuelan los ligeros años, Y con presurosas alas Nos roban, como harpías, Nuestras sabrosas viandas. La flor de la maravilla Esta verdad nos declara, Porque le hurta la tarde Lo que le dio la mañana. ¡Que se nos va la Pascua, mozas, Que se nos va la Pascua! 3 Mirad que cuando pensáis Que hacen la señal del alba Las campanas de la vida, Es la queda, y os desarman De vuestro color y lustre, De vuestro donaire y gracia, Y quedáis todas perdidas Por mayores de la marca. ¡Que se nos va la Pascua, mozas, Que se nos va la Pascua! 4 Yo sé de una buena vieja Que fue un tiempo rubia y zarca, Y que al presente le cuesta Harto caro el ver su cara, Porque su bruñida frente Y sus mejillas se hallan Más que roquete de obispo Encogidas y arrugadas. ¡Que se nos va la Pascua, mozas, Que se nos va la Pascua! 5 Y sé de otra buena vieja, Que un diente que le quedaba Se lo dejó este otro día Sepultado en unas natas, Y con lágrimas le dice: «Diente mío de mi alma, Yo sé cuándo fuiste perla, Aunque ahora no sois caña.» ¡Que se nos va la Pascua, mozas, Que se nos va la Pascua! 6 Por eso, mozuelas locas, Antes que la edad avara El rubio cabello de oro Convierta en luciente plata, Quered cuando sois queridas, Amad cuando sois amadas, Mirad, bobas, que detrás Se pinta la ocasión calva. ¡Que se nos va la Pascua, mozas, Que se nos va la Pascua!

EASTER IS LEAVING US, GIRLS (or "Our Easter is leaving") Easter is leaving us, girls, Easter is leaving us! Girls from my neighborhood, Fool and confident, Take heed that time, age and confidence Do not deceive you. Do not let yourself be flattered By the glowing youth, Because of faded flowers Time weaves its garlands. Easter is leaving us, girls, Easter is leaving us! The light years fly, And with swift wings They steal from us, like harpies, Our tasty food. The "flower of wonder"* This truth tells us, Because the afternoon steals from it What the morning gave to it. Easter is leaving us, girls, Easter is leaving us! See that when you think That the bells of life Make the dawn signal, It is the curfew, and they disarm you Of your color and glory, Of your elegance and grace, And you are all at lost For being beyond the line**. Easter is leaving us, girls, Easter is leaving us! I know of a good old woman Who once was blonde and blue eyed, And to whom it costs very much To see her own face, Because her shiny forehead And her cheeks are, More than a bishop's rock, Shrunken and wrinkled. Easter is leaving us, girls, Easter is leaving us! And I know of another good old woman, Who had one tooth left She left it, this other day, Buried in some cream, And with tears she says: «Tooth of my very soul, I know when you were a pearl, Although now you are nothing.» Easter is leaving us, girls, Easter is leaving us! That's why, crazy girls, Before the greedy age Turns the blond hair of gold Into shining silver, Like when you are liked, Love when you are loved, Look out, fools, for after, Your opportunities will be lost***. Easter is leaving us, girls, Easter is leaving us!

* probably marygold
** to be now too old
*** lit. "Look out, fools, for behind / the occasion is painted bald", refering to the Greek god or Roman goddess "Occasion", that is Kairos, represented with hair on the front but with the back of the head bald, meaning that once you've let him/her pass, you have nothing to grab him/her. Hence the "grab the opportunities while you still can".

Recordings by Paco Ibáñez (1964 + 2008)
Recording by Isabel Parra

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