Maior é Deus (Pequeno sou eu) – Capoeira Song Lyrics and English Translation

Iê! Maior é Deus Maior é Deus Pequeno sou eu O que eu tenho foi Deus que me deu O que eu tenho foi Deus que me deu Na roda da Capoeira Grande e pequeno sou eu Camará!

Yay! God is Great God is Great Small am I That which I have It was God that gave me That which I have It was God that gave me In the Capoeira Roda Great and small am I Comrade!

Maior é Deus, Pequeno Sou Eu was a Ladainha sung by Mestre Pastinha.

It’s unclear whether Mestre Pastinha composed the ladainha, or if the lyrics are based on a traditional hymn that was already in the public domain.

Interestingly, it also became a popular song in Samba, made famous by legendary Sambista Beth Carvalho. Again, whether she was inspired by the version of Mestre Pastinha, or whether it was already part of the Afro-Brazilian folklore we’re not sure. If anyone out there has any concrete evidence either way we’d love to hear from you!

We’ve included both versions below for you to listen to and compare!