Lamento do Menino

Once I was walking, felt a tightness in my heart,
I saw a boy crying with his berimbau in hand,
I asked the boy
what had happened
and the boy still crying
said my master died
I sat with the boy
and began to explain
that his master had left
went to heaven to live with God
went close to his bimba, pastinha, and besouro mangangá
gone to be with traira canjiquinha and master valdemar,
wherever you're playing
your master will be there
to guide your paths
along with father oxalá,
hey boy don't cry
don't cry boy, hey boy
your master won't like it
because you are the seed
that will one day sprout
and the boy stood up
and with a smiling gesture
squeezed my hand and walked away happily
his smiling gesture truly moved me
because I saw that the boy
at that moment understood,
don't cry boy
don't keep crying
don't cry boy
your master went to heaven to live with God.