Riacho (Brook)

Riacho

Roupa suja ao riacho fui lavar

Fui lavar a imundice toda

Cansei-me de tanto esfregar

Fiquei de cabeça andar a roda

Rocei, bati, voltei a esfregar

Para tirar toda a nódoa

Marcas que soubeste deixar

Aumentando minha mágoa

Água pura, clara e fria

Minha amiga em dada hora

Quanto mais roupa esfregaria

Mais sujeira carregava embora

Com ela vão-se as marcas

Do castigado por amar

E limpas ficam as roupas

Que ao riacho fui lavar!   

(English Version) 

Brook

Laundry, I went to wash at the brook

And only I know how much it took

To scrub away all this filthiness

I got myself in such distress

I brushed, I beat and went back scrubbing

Praying the stains would go away

Marks you left along these days

Increasing all my grief and pain

Pure water, cold and clear

My friend at given time

The more laundry I washed

More dirt she carried away

Taken by the stream forever

Those marks of one punished lover

And clean is now the laundry, I took

Downhill to wash at the cold Brook!