O Boinha Lyrics Translation in English

Sérgio Reis
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Portuguese Lyrics

English Translation

Eu era menino e via o pai e a mãe levantar

I was a boy and I saw my father and mother getting up

Quatro da manhã pra atender o gato que vinha buscar

At four in the morning to attend to the cat that came to fetch

Em um caminhão via eles partir pro canavial

In a truck, I saw them leaving for the sugarcane plantation

Ficava rezando sozinho em casa pros dois voltar

I stayed at home praying alone for them to return


Oi, eu era um boinha

Hi, I was a little boy

Filho de boia fria tinha um destino na minha mão

Son of a farmworker, I had a destiny in my hand

Não era cartilha, não era estudo, não era nada

It wasn't a primer, it wasn't studying, it wasn't anything

Era um facãozinho que o pai me fez com o seu facão

It was a little machete that my father made for me with his machete


Era de madeira o cabo em forma de coração

The handle was made of wood in the shape of a heart

Com a ponta afiada como convinha a um bom facão

With the sharp tip as befitting a good machete

Nele pai gravou algumas palavras com devoção

On it, father engraved some words devotedly

Pro meu filho amado, o meu boinha com emoção

For my beloved son, my little boy, with emotion


Um dia o pai voltou ele mais a mãe dentro de um caixão

One day father returned, he and mother inside a coffin

De uma ribanceira rolaram os dois com o caminhão

They both rolled off a cliff with the truck

O gato maldito escapou com vida da confusão

The cursed cat escaped alive from the confusion

Veio me abraçar e morreu na ponta do meu facão

Came to hug me and died at the tip of my machete


Oi, eu era um boinha

Hi, I was a little boy

Filho de boia fria tinha um destino na minha mão

Son of a farmworker, I had a destiny in my hand

Não era cartilha, não era estudo, não era nada

It wasn't a primer, it wasn't studying, it wasn't anything

Era um facãozinho que o pai me fez com o seu facão

It was a little machete that my father made for me with his machete


Sendo de menor não paguei meu crime numa prisão

Being underage, I didn’t pay for my crime in prison

Fiquei só no mundo com esse remorso no coração

I remained alone in the world with this remorse in my heart

Pois na hora do enterro veio um menino e me deu a mão

Because at the burial, a boy came and held my hand

Me falou chorando, sou o gatinho do caminhão

He told me crying, "I'm the cat from the truck"


Ele era menino e via o pai sempre levantar

He was a boy and saw his father always getting up

As três da manhã pra ir buscar seu povo pra trabalhar

At three in the morning to go get his people to work

Com seu caminhão via o pai partir pro canavial

With his truck, he saw his father leaving for the sugarcane plantation

Ficava rezando sozinho em casa pro pai voltar

I stayed at home praying alone for my father to return


Oi, ele era um gatinho

Hi, he was a little cat

Filho de um chofer, tinha um destino na sua mão

Son of a driver, he had a destiny in his hand

Não era cartilha, não era estudo, não era nada

It wasn't a primer, it wasn't studying, it wasn't anything

Era um caminhãozinho que o pai lhe fez com seu coração

It was a little truck that his father made for him with his heart

Added by Jorge Santos
Bissau, Guinea-Bissau June 13, 2025
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