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Yo no sé qué tienen tus ojillos negros que me dan pesares y me gusta verlos, que me dan pesares y me gusta verlos. Son tan juguetones y tan zalameros, sus miradas prontas llegan tan adentro, que hay quien asegura que Dios los ha hecho como para muestra de lo que es lo bueno, de lo que es la gloria, de lo que es el cielo. Mas, por otra parte, ¡son tan embusteros! dicen tantas cosas que desdicen luego, que hay quien asegura que Dios los ha hecho como para muestra de lo que es tormento, de lo que es desdicha, de lo que es infierno. Y es que hay en tus ojos como hay en los cielos, noches muy obscuras, días muy serenos. Y hay en [sus]1 miradas maridaje eterno de amorcillos locos y desdenes cuerdos, y entre sus penumbras y sus centelleos brillantes afanes y tus pensamientos, como entre las sombras de la noche obscura brillan los relámpagos con su vivo fuego. Luces que parece que se están muriendo y que de improviso resucitan luego. Sombras adorables, llenas de misterio como tus amores, como mis deseos. Algo que da vida... mucho que da miedo... Yo no sé qué tienen tus ojillos negros que me dan pesares y me gusta verlos.
Confirmed with Cristobal de Castro, Poesia lirica, ed. by Antonio Cruz Casado, Córdoba, 1995. The first published version of this poem, which appeared in La Illustración Española y Americana, no. 41, November 8, 1899, was slightly different.
1 de Falla: "tus"Authorship:
- by Cristóbal de Castro Gutiérrez (1874 - 1953), "Tus ojillos negros", first published 1899 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Manuel de Falla (1876 - 1946), "Tus ojillos negros", subtitle: "Canción andaluza", 1902-3 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Michael P Rosewall) , "Your dark eyes", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Tes yeux noirs", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 56
Word count: 212
I know not what your dark eyes have that so troubles and thrills me when I see them, that so troubles and thrills me when I see them. They are so playful and so enticing, their sharp glances probe so deeply, that some swear God has made them in order to show what good is, to show what glory is, to show what heaven is. But, on the other hand, they are so deceitful! Saying so many things that they contradict later, that some swear God has made them in order to show what torment is, to show what heartache is, to show what hell is. And within your eyes, as within the heavens, there are very dark nights, very mild days. And within your glances, there is an eternal pairing of wild flirtation and sober disdain, and between their shadows and their twinkling are starry desires and your thoughts. As though, within the gloom of the dark night, lightning sparkles with its living fire. Lights that appear to be dying away, and then, later, suddenly rekindle. Captivating shadows, full of mystery, like your loves, like my desires. Something that gives life, and much that gives fear. I know not what your dark eyes have that so troubles and thrills me when I see them!
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2023 by Michael P Rosewall, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Cristóbal de Castro Gutiérrez (1874 - 1953), "Tus ojillos negros", first published 1899
This text was added to the website: 2023-01-15
Line count: 56
Word count: 215