Balança que Pesa Ouro – Capoeira Song by Mestre Pernalonga
Lyrics and English Translation
Balança que pesa ouro
Não é pra pesar metal
Tem passarinho pequeno
Que mata cobra coral
Balança que pesa ouro
Não é pra pesar metal
Tem passarinho pequeno
Que mata cobra coral
Boi com sede bebe lama
Barriga vazia não dá sono
Eu não sou dono do mundo
Mais eu sou filho dono
Balança que pesa ouro
Não é pra pesar metal
Tem passarinho pequeno
Que mata cobra coral
No dia que amanheço com vontade de jogar
Do vinte pulos pra cima
E caio no mesmo lugar
Balança que pesa ouro
Não é pra pesar metal
Tem passarinho pequeno
Que mata cobra coral
Joguei meu barquinho na água
Joguei meu anzol na maré
Que seria do homem
Se não fosse a mulher
Balança que pesa ouro
Não é pra pesar metal
Tem passarinho pequeno
Que mata cobra coral
Scale that weighs gold
Isn’t for weighing metal
There’s a small bird
That can kill a coral snake
Scale that weighs gold
Isn’t for weighing metal
There’s a small bird
That can kill a coral snake
Thirsty steer drinks mud
An empty stomach doesn’t bring sleep
I’m not the owner of the world
But I am the owner’s son
Scale that weighs gold
Isn’t for weighing metal
There’s a small bird
That can kill a coral snake
In the morning I wake up with the urge to play
I jump up twenty times
And land in the same spot
Scale that weighs gold
Isn’t for weighing metal
There’s a small bird
That can kill a coral snake
I launch my little boat in the water
I cast my fish hook in the tide
That would be man’s
If it wasn’t for the woman
Scale that weighs gold
Isn’t for weighing metal
There’s a small bird
That can kill a coral snake
Meaning of the song
The song uses metaphor as a warning not to be too quick to judge other capoeiristas by their appearance.
“Balança que pesa ouro, não é pra pesar metal” is a way of saying that you “Shouldn’t judge everyone by the same yardstick“.
“Tem passarinho pequeno que mata cobra coral” means “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover / appearances can be deceiving”.
You might think that a fight between a small bird and a large poisonous snake is a foregone conclusion – of course the snake is going to win.
Think again…
The moral of the chorus being to never underestimate the other player in the roda. They may seem smaller or weaker, but they might still have a very dangerous game!
What exactly does the rest of the song sing about? Hmm. I’ve translated as best as I can, I leave divining the hidden meanings to your interpretation!
