Construção [English translation]

He made love as if it were the last time

Kissed his woman as if she were the last one

And each child as if they were the only ones

And he crossed the street with his shy step

He climbed the construction site as if he were a machine

He built in the landing four solid walls

Brick by brick in a magical design

His eyes dulled by the concrete and tears

He sat down to rest as though it were Saturday

He ate beans and rice as though he were a prince

Then drank and sobbed as though he were a castaway

He danced and laughed as if he were listening to music

And he stumbled in the sky as though he were a drunk

And he floated in the air as though he were a bird

And he finished on the ground in a messy heap

He agonized in the middle of the public sidewalk

He died going the wrong way interrupting the traffic

He made love that time as if he were the best

He kissed his woman as if she were the only one

And each child as if they were the prodigy

And he crossed the street with his drunken step

He climbed the construction site as if it were solid

He built in the landing four magical walls

Brick by brick in a logical design

His eyes dulled by the concrete and traffic

He sat down to rest as though he were a prince

He ate beans and rice as if it were the best

He drank and sobbed as if he were a machine

He danced and laughed as if he were the next one

And he stumbled in the sky as though listening to music

And he floated in the air as if it were Saturday

And finished on the ground in a shy heap

He agonized in the middle of the castaway sidewalk

He died going the wrong way interrupting the public

He made love that time as if he were a machine

He kissed his woman as if it were logical

He built in the landing four flaccid walls

He sat down to rest as if he were a bird

And he floated in the air as if he were a prince

And finished on the ground in a drunken heap

He died going the wrong way interrupting Saturday

For this bread to eat, for this ground to sleep

The birth certificate and the license to smile

For letting me breathe, for letting me exist

God shall reward you

For the free liquor that we all have to swallow

For the smoke and the misfortune, that we all have to cough

For the hanging scaffold from which we all have to fall

God shall reward you

For the moaning woman to praise us and spit at us

And for the flies to kiss us and cover us

And for the final peace that in the end will redeem us

God shall reward you

• Artist:Chico Buarque
• Album:Construção (1971)