John Barleycorn

João Cevada

John Barleycorn

Deixa eu contar a história da família do meu paiLet me tell a tale of my father's kin
Pois seu sangue corre nas minhas veiasFor his blood runs through my veins
Nenhum homem nasceu que pudesse vencer João CevadaNo man's been born that could best John Barleycorn
Pois ele sofreu muitas doresFor he's suffered many pains
Ele sofreu muitas doresHe's suffered many pains

Nós o enterramos bem fundo na terraWe've buried him well beneath the ground
E cobriram sua cabeçaAnd they've covered over his head
E esses homens do oeste atestaram solenementeAnd these men from the west did solemnly attest
João Cevada estava mortoJohn Barleycorn was dead
João Cevada estava mortoJohn Barleycorn was dead

Mas as quentes chuvas da primavera começaram a cairBut the warm spring rains came a-pouring down
E João Cevada ressurgiuAnd John Barleycorn arose
E sobre aquela terra ele ficou em silêncioAnd upon that ground he stood without a sound
Até que começou a crescerTill he began to grow
Até que começou a crescerTill he began to grow

Eles contrataram um homem com uma faca bem afiadaThey've hired a man with a knife so sharp
Para cortá-lo pelos joelhosFor to cut him through the knees
E amarraram Cevada e o prenderam com espinhosAnd they've pitched Barleycorn and tied him down with thorn
E o trataram barbaramenteAnd served him barbarously
Eles o trataram barbaramenteThey've served him barbarously

E contrataram alguns homens com varas de espinheiroAnd they've hired some men with crabtree sticks
Para bater nele de cima a baixoFor to beat him high and low
E a pele das costas dele começaram a estourarAnd the skin on his back they then began to smack
Até que o lugar começou a incharTill the place began to blow
O lugar começou a incharThe place began to blow

E moeram seus ossos entre duas pedrasAnd they've ground his bones in between two stones
E o trataram pior que issoAnd they've served him worse than that
Pois o jogaram em um tonel de carvalhoFor they've tossed him into an oaken mashing bin
E o selaram em um barrilAnd sealed him in a vat
Eles o selaram em um barrilThey've sealed him in a vat

Mas João Cevada provou ser o homem mais forteBut John Barleycorn proved the stoutest man
Embora fizessem tudo que podiamThough they did all that they could
Então levantem seus chifres e façam um brinde a CevadaSo raise up your horn and praise to Barleycorn
E nós beberemos seu sangueAnd we shall drink his blood
Sim, nós beberemos seu sangue!Yes, we shall drink his blood!