| Portuguese | English |
|---|---|
| Vou contar-lhe uma história Para todo mundo ver No tempo do cativeiro Negro apanhava pra valer |
I will tell you a story For everyone to see In the time of captivity The black man was beaten for real |
| Trabalhava na lavoura E trabalhava todo dia Muito pouco alimentava-se De pão duro e água fria |
They worked in the field And they worked every day Were fed very little With crusty bread and cold water |
| Quando vem chegando a noite Vão pra senzala descansar Era o ponto de encontro Pra cantar e pra dançar |
When the night comes Go to slave quarters to rest It was the meeting point To sing and dance |
| Mas o tempo foi passando Tudo isso foi mudando No império do senhor Hoje o branco e o negro Podem ser chamados de doutor |
But time passed All of that changed In the lord's empire Today white and black Can be called doctor |
| Ê lua branca aê lua Ê lua branca olha aê **Ê lua branca aê lua** Ô lua branca **Ê lua branca aê lua** Ê lua branca olha aê **Ê lua branca aê lua** |
Ê white moon aê moon Ê white moon look there Ê white moon aê moon Oh white moon Ê white moon aê moon Ê white moon look there Ê white moon aê moon |
| Meu avô sempre dizia Negro nasceu para sofrer E o capitão do mato Pra matar e pra morrer Ê lua branca olha aê **Ê lua branca aê lua** Oh lua branca **Ê lua branca aê lua** Ê lua branca olha aê **Ê lua branca aê lua** |
My grandfather always said The black man was born to suffer And the capitão do mato To kill and to die Ê white moon look there Ê white moon aê moon Oh white moon Ê white moon aê moon Ê white moon look there Ê white moon aê moon |
Author: Mestre Eziquiel
T/L: "Capitão-do-mato" literally translate as "captain of the bush". They were bounty hunters employed by farms specifically to capture escaped slaves. They were often former slaves themselves.