El Nazareno – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Ismael Rivera
• Album: Traigo De Todo

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the powerful story behind Ismael Rivera's iconic salsa hit, "El Nazareno." This song offers a profound message of faith, hope, and personal redemption, inspired by Rivera's spiritual journey. Learn how "El Nazareno" became an anthem of devotion and a testament to the enduring power of belief.

[English]

I was having a good time

I was having a good time

Went to see what was happening

When I was already enjoying myself

And I started to get into it

I don't know where but I heard a voice

What expression is on your face

It reflects your happiness

And it's surrounded by so much hypocrisy

It's The Nazarene

Who gives you good advice

To whom? Don't look at who

Shake hands with the fallen

And if he’s been really bad, give him a hand too

Do good to your friends

And offer them your friendship

And you'll see that bad things

Will never come near you

But all the good things

Will always be with you, listen!

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

He told me, he told me there's a lot of good ones with me

And a lot of bad ones too, he told me

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

Keep singing sweet and beautiful things for you

Because you are my dear friends

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

Keep moving forward, forward, forward, forward, forward like an elephant

Maelo, don’t let them knock you down, stand your ground

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

The Nazarene told me

The Nazarene told me

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

Listen carefully!

...

Listen well my friend, listen!

...

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

With Sororo, with Merito and Cuñón

I'm heading to Portobelo to load the big one

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

The Nazarene told me

The handsome little black boy from Portobelo, he told me

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

Tell Rigo!

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

...

Long live the Black Christ of Portobelo!

...

Listen well my friend, listen!

...

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

In the church of San Felipe in Portobelo

There's the little black boy we carried warmly

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

The Nazarene told me

The handsome little boy, he told me

The Nazarene told me

He'll take care of my friends

Keep moving forward, forward, forward, forward, forward like an elephant

And don’t let them knock you down, stand your ground, listen!

...

[Spanish]

Yo estaba en un vacilón

Yo estaba en un vacilón

Fui a ver lo que sucedía

Cuando ya me divertía

Y empezaba a vacilar

No sé de dónde una voz vine a escuchar

Qué expresión tiene tu rostro

Se refleja la alegría

Y está rodeado de tanta hipocresía

Es El Nazareno

Que te da consejos buenos

A quién, no mires a quién

Dale la mano al caído

Y si acaso bien malo ha sido, dale la mano también

Hazle bien a tus amigos

Y ofréceles tu amistad

Y verás que a ti lo malo

Nunca se te acercará

En cambio todo lo bueno

Contigo siempre estará, ¡óyelo!

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

Me dijo, me dijo que había mucho bueno conmigo

Y mucho malo también, me dijo

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

Que siguiera cantando cositas lindas y bonitas para ustedes

Que son mis queridos amigos

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

Dale pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante como un elefante

Maelo, no dejes que te tumben, tú plante

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

El Nazareno me dijo

El Nazareno me dijo

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

¡Óyelo bien!

Oye bien mi amigo, ¡oye!

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

Con Sororo, con la Merito y Cuñón

Voy pa' Portobelo a cargar el negrón

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

El Nazareno me dijo

El negrito lindo de Portobelo, me dijo

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

¡Dile Rigo!

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

¡Que viva el Cristo negro de Puertobelo!

¡Oye bien mi amigo, oye bien!

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

En la iglesia de San Felipe de Portobelo

Está el negrito que cargamos con celo

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

El Nazareno me dijo

El negrito lindo, me dijo

El Nazareno me dijo

Que cuidará a mis amigos

Pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante como un elefante

Y no dejes que te tumben, tú plante, ¡oye!

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
vacilón /basiˈlon/ B1	noun - a party, fun, or good time
suceder /suseˈðeɾ/ B2	verb - to happen, occur
divertía /diveɾˈti.a/ A2	verb - to have fun, enjoy oneself
vacilar /basiˈlaɾ/ B1	verb - to joke, to have fun, to flirt
expresión /ekspɾeˈsjon/ B2	noun - expression, facial expression
alegría /aleˈɣɾi.a/ A2	noun - happiness, joy
hipocresía /ipoˈkɾeɾi.a/ C1	noun - hypocrisy
consejo /konˈxe.xo/ B1	noun - advice, counsel
amigos /aˈmi.ɣos/ A1	noun - friends
ofrecer /oˌfɾeˈseɾ/ B2	verb - to offer
amistad /amisˈtað/ A2	noun - friendship
bien /bjen/ A1	adjective - good, well
hacer /aˈθeɾ/ A2	verb - to do, to make
cuidar /kwiˈðaɾ/ B2	verb - to take care of, to look after
amigos /aˈmi.ɣos/ A1	noun - friends
cargando /kaɾˈɣan.do/ B2	verb - loading, carrying
negro /ˈne.ɣɾo/ A2	adjective / noun -
vivo /ˈbi.βo/ A2	adjective - alive, lively

Key Grammar Structures

• Yo estaba en un vacilón

  ➔ Imperfect tense to describe ongoing actions in the past.

  ➔ The phrase "Yo estaba" indicates a continuous action in the past.

• Dale la mano al caído

  ➔ Imperative form used for giving commands or advice.

  ➔ The phrase "Dale la mano" is a command encouraging action.

• El Nazareno me dijo

  ➔ Simple past tense to indicate completed actions.

  ➔ The phrase "me dijo" indicates that the action of telling has been completed.

• Hazle bien a tus amigos

  ➔ Imperative form with indirect object pronoun.

  ➔ The phrase "Hazle bien" is a command that includes an indirect object.

• Que cuidará a mis amigos

  ➔ Future tense to express actions that will happen.

  ➔ The phrase "cuidará" indicates a future action of taking care.

• Y verás que a ti lo malo nunca se te acercará

  ➔ Future tense with subjunctive mood to express uncertainty.

  ➔ The phrase "verás que" introduces a future expectation with uncertainty.

• Pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante, pa'lante como un elefante

  ➔ Repetition for emphasis in commands.

  ➔ The repetition of "pa'lante" emphasizes the encouragement to move forward.