Milonga del moro judio – Bilingual Lyrics Spanish/English

• By: Jorge Drexler

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the rich tapestry of culture and identity in Jorge Drexler's "Milonga del Moro Judío." This captivating song, blending the heartfelt milonga rhythm with profound lyrics, offers a unique opportunity to explore themes of tolerance, heritage, and the human search for belonging, inviting listeners to reflect on their own identities and the shared human experience.

[English]

For every wall, a lament

In golden Jerusalem

And a thousand wasted lives

For every commandment

I am dust of your wind

And though I bleed from your wound

And every beloved stone

Holds my deepest love

There is not a stone in the world

That is worth what a life is

I am a Jewish Moor

Who lives with Christians

I don't know what god is mine

Nor who my brothers are

I don't know what god is mine

Nor who my brothers are

...

There is no dead person that doesn't hurt me

There is no winning side

There is nothing but pain

And another life that flies away

War is a very bad school

It doesn't matter what disguise you wear

Forgive me for not enlisting

Under any flag

Any chimera is worth more

Than a piece of sad cloth

I am a Jewish Moor

Who lives with Christians

I don't know what god is mine

Nor who my brothers are

I don't know what god is mine

Nor who my brothers are

And I gave no one permission

To kill in my name

A man is nothing more than a man

And if there is a god, that's how he wanted it

The same ground that I walk on

Will remain, I will have gone

Heading also towards oblivion

There is no doctrine that doesn't go

And there is no people that hasn't

Believed itself the chosen people

I am a Jewish Moor

Who lives with Christians

I don't know what god is mine

Nor who my brothers are

I don't know what god is mine

Nor who my brothers are

I am a Jewish Moor

Who lives with Christians

...

[Spanish]

Por cada muro, un lamento

En Jerusalén la dorada

Y mil vidas malgastadas

Por cada mandamiento

Yo soy polvo de tu viento

Y aunque sangro de tu herida

Y cada piedra querida

Guarda mi amor más profundo

No hay una piedra en el mundo

Que valga lo que una vida

Yo soy un moro judío

Que vive con los cristianos

No sé qué dios es el mío

Ni cuáles son mis hermanos

No sé qué Dios es el mío

Ni cuáles son mis hermanos

No hay muerto que no me duela

No hay un bando ganador

No hay nada más que dolor

Y otra vida que se vuela

La guerra es muy mala escuela

No importa el disfraz que viste

Perdonen que no me aliste

Bajo ninguna bandera

Vale más cualquier quimera

Que un trozo de tela triste

Yo soy un moro judío

Que vive con los cristianos

No sé qué dios es el mío

Ni cuáles son mis hermanos

No sé qué dios es el mío

Ni cuáles son mis hermanos

Y a nadie le di permiso

Para matar en mi nombre

Un hombre no es más que un hombre

Y si hay Dios, así lo quiso

El mismo suelo que piso

Seguirá, yo me habré ido

Rumbo también del olvido

No hay doctrina que no vaya

Y no hay pueblo que no se haya

Creído el pueblo elegido

Yo soy un moro judío

Que vive con los cristianos

No sé qué dios es el mío

Ni cuáles son mis hermanos

No sé qué dios es el mío

Ni cuáles son mis hermanos

Yo soy un moro judío

Que vive con los cristianos

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
muro /ˈmuro/ A2	noun - wall
lamento /laˈmento/ B2	noun - lament, mourning
Jerusalén /xeɾuzaˈlen/ A2	noun - Jerusalem
vidas /ˈbiðas/ A2	noun - lives
malgastadas /malɣasˈtaðas/ B2	adjective - wasted, squandered
mandamiento /mandamiˈento/ B2	noun - commandment, order
polvo /ˈpolβo/ A2	noun - dust, powder
viento /bjento/ A2	noun - wind
sangro /ˈsaŋɣɾo/ B2	verb - I bleed
piedra /ˈpjeðɾa/ A2	noun - stone
amor /aˈmoɾ/ A2	noun - love
deep /diːp/ B2	adjective - extending far down from the top
pueblo /ˈpweβlo/ A2	noun - people, town, village
querer /keˈɾeɾ/ A2	verb - to want, to love
dios /ˈdjos/ A2	noun - God, deity

Key Grammar Structures

• Por cada muro, un lamento

  ➔ Prepositional Phrase + Noun (indicating per/for each)

  ➔ The phrase "Por cada muro" introduces a concept of proportionality. For every wall, there is a lament. The word "cada" means 'each' or 'every'.

• Y mil vidas malgastadas

  ➔ Past Participle as an Adjective (vidas "malgastadas")

  ➔ "malgastadas" is the past participle of the verb "malgastar" (to waste). It's functioning as an adjective to describe "vidas" (lives) – wasted lives.

• Yo soy polvo de tu viento

  ➔ Ser + Noun Phrase with 'de' (expressing origin or nature)

  ➔ The phrase 'polvo de tu viento' literally means 'dust of your wind'. The 'de' connects the dust to the wind, showing it's derived from or a part of it. Using 'ser' indicates an inherent quality or essence.

• Y aunque sangro de tu herida

  ➔ Subjunctive Mood with 'aunque' (expressing concession)

  ➔ "Aunque sangro" uses the subjunctive mood. "Aunque" (although, even if) often requires the subjunctive, particularly when expressing doubt, uncertainty, or hypothetical situations. Here, it concedes that he is suffering ("sangro" - I bleed) from her wound ("tu herida").

• No hay una piedra en el mundo Que valga lo que una vida

  ➔ Subjunctive after a Negative Relative Clause ("que valga")

  ➔ The phrase "que valga lo que una vida" is a relative clause describing "una piedra en el mundo". Because the main clause is negative ("No hay una piedra"), the verb "valga" (to be worth) is in the subjunctive mood. This expresses uncertainty or lack of existence of such a stone.

• No sé qué dios es el mío Ni cuáles son mis hermanos

  ➔ Indirect Questions with Interrogative Pronouns ("qué", "cuáles")

  ➔ These are indirect questions. Instead of asking directly "¿Qué dios es el mío?", the speaker states "No sé qué dios es el mío" (I don't know what god is mine). The word order changes from the direct question to a statement. 'Cuáles' follows the same rule: '¿Cuáles son mis hermanos?' -> 'No sé cuáles son mis hermanos'.

• Y a nadie le di permiso Para matar en mi nombre

  ➔ Indirect Object Pronoun + Verb + Infinitive (le di permiso para matar)

  ➔ "Le di permiso" means "I gave permission to him/her/them/you (formal)". "Le" is an indirect object pronoun referring back to "a nadie" (to nobody). "Para matar en mi nombre" (to kill in my name) is an infinitive phrase that explains the purpose of the permission that was *not* given.

• Vale más cualquier quimera Que un trozo de tela triste

  ➔ Comparative Structure with 'más...que' (more...than)

  ➔ This line uses the comparative structure "más...que" (more...than) to express a preference. Here, any dream (cualquier quimera) is considered more valuable than a sad piece of cloth (un trozo de tela triste), symbolizing a flag.