Tem sido para mim um dos temas que mais gosto de visitar em Bob Dylan, pela especial adequação entre as complexidades escondidas da letra e a natureza pouco sofisticada da melodia e dos arranjos, embora estejam em perfeita sintonia com o espírito geral da canção. Vejam a letra da canção e a minha tradução...
WATCHING THE RIVER FLOW
What's the matter with me
I don't have much to say
Daylight sneakin' through the window
And I'm still in this all-night cafe
Walkin' to and fro beneath the moon
Out to where the trucks are rollin' slow
To sit down on this bank of sand
And watch the river flow
Wish I was back in the city
Instead of this old bank of sand
With the sun beating down over the chimney tops
And the one I love so close at hand
If I had wings and I could fly
I know where I would go
But right now I'll just sit here so contentedly
And watch the river flow
People disagreeing on all just about everything, yeah
Makes you stop and all wonder why
Why only yesterday I saw somebody on the street
Who just couldn't help but cry
Oh, this ol' river keeps on rollin', though
No matter what gets in the way and which way the wind does blow
And as long as it does I'll just sit here
And watch the river flow
People disagreeing everywhere you look
Makes you want to stop and read a book
Why only yesterday I saw somebody on the street
That was really shook
But this ol' river keeps on rollin', though
No matter what gets in the way and which way the wind does blow
And as long as it does I'll just sit here
And watch the river flow
Watch the river flow
Watchin' the river flow
Watchin' the river flow
But I'll sit down on this bank of sand
And watch the river flow
Songwriters: Bob Dylan / Dylan Bob
Watching the River Flow lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
VENDO CORRER O RIO*
Que
se passa comigo
Não
tenho muito para contar,
Durante
o dia, mirando pela janela
E
neste café fora de horas
Por
aqui e ali, sob a Lua
Até
onde os camiões rolam devagar
Para
me sentar neste banco de areia
E
vendo correr o rio
Se
estivesse de novo na cidade
Em
vez deste banco de areia
Com
o Sol a brilhar por cima das chaminés
E
quem eu amo junto de mim
Se
tivesse asas e pudesse voar
Eu
sei para onde iria
Mas
agora, fico sentado e contente,
Vendo
correr o rio
As
pessoas discutem por tudo e por nada
Faz-nos
parar e pensar
Porquê,
ontem, alguém na rua
Não se conteve e desatou a chorar
Mas
o velho rio continua correndo assim
Sem
ligar para onde o vento sopra
E
enquanto assim for, eu aqui fico sentado
Vendo
correr o rio
Vendo
correr o rio
Vendo
correr o rio
E
eu aqui fico sentado
Vendo correr o rio
[*Tradução de Manuel Banet]