Travessia do Rio Araguaia Lyrics Translation in English

Naquele estradão deserto,

On that deserted road,

Uma boiada descia

A cattle drive was descending,

Pras bandas do Araguaia

Towards the Araguaia lands,

Pra fazer a travessia

To make the crossing.

O capataz era um velho

The foreman was an old man,

De muita sabedoria

Of great wisdom.

As ordens eram severas

The orders were strict,

E a peonada obedecia

And the ranch hands obeyed.

O ponteiro,moço novo

The lead cowboy, a young man,

Muito desembaraçado

Very agile,

Mas era a primeira viagem

But it was his first trip

Que fazia pra esses lados

Heading towards these parts.

Não conhecia os tormentos

He didn't know the torments

Do Araguaia afamado

Of the famous Araguaia.

Não sabia que as piranhas

He didn't know that the piranhas

Era um perigo danado

Were a darn danger.

Ao chegarem na barranca

As they reached the bank,

Disse o velho boiadeiro:

Said the old cowboy:

Derrubemos um boi n'água

"Let's drop a steer in the water,

Deu a ordem ao ponteiro

Ordered the lead cowboy.

Enquanto as piranhas comem

While the piranhas feed,

Temos que passar ligeiro,

We must cross swiftly,

Toque logo esse boi velho

Push that old steer quickly,

Que vale pouco dinheiro

Worth very little money.

Era um boi de aspas grandes

It was a steer with huge horns,

Já roído pelos anos

Already worn by the years.

O coitado não sabia

The poor thing didn't know

Do seu destino tirano

About its tyrant destiny.

Sangrando por ferroadas

Bleeding from stabs,

No Araguaia foi entrando

Into the Araguaia it went,

As piranhas vieram loucas

The piranhas came crazed,

E o boi foram devorando

And devoured the steer.

Enquanto o pobre boi velho

While the poor old steer

Ia sendo devorado

Was being devoured,

A boiada foi nadando

The cattle continued swimming

E saiu do outro lado

And emerged on the other side.

Naquelas verdes pastagens

In those green pastures,

Tudo estava sossegado

All was calm.

Disse o velho ao ponteiro

Said the old man to the lead cowboy,

Pode ficar descansado

"You can rest now."

O ponteiro revoltado

The upset lead cowboy

Disse que barbaridade

Said, "What a brutality!

Sacrificar um boi velho

To sacrifice an old steer

Pra que essa crueldade?

For what cruelty is this?"

Respondeu o boiadeiro

Responded the cowboy,

Aprenda esta verdade

Learn this truth,

Que Jesus também morreu

That Jesus also died

Pra salvar a humanidade

To save humanity.