Gracias a la vida [English translation]

I give thanks for life and all it has given me.

With my eyes when open, as I face my life,

I clearly distinguish between black and white;

And see that the night sky is all strewn with stars;

And find my beloved even in a crowd.

I give thanks for life and all it has given me.

The true gift of hearing all manner of sounds

Night and day I hear crickets and canaries; construction and traffic; barking dogs and sudden rain. And the tender voice of my well beloved.

I give thanks for life and all it has given me.

The sounds of my voice and the gift of language

To utter the objects of thoughts and emotions: Mother, friend and brother and light to illumine

The spiritual path of my well beloved.

I give thanks for life and all it has given me.

The will to march on upon these tired feet

That carried me through big cities and puddles;

Beaches and deserts, high mountains and plains;

All the way to your street, to your house and your yard.

I give thanks for life and all it has given me

A heart that is stirred when I look around me;

I regard the fruit of all human knowledge;

I measure how far goodness is from evil;

And I can gaze deeply into your clear eyes.

I give thanks for life and all it has given me

From the lift of laughter to the depth of weeping

I can tell the difference between joy and grief

Opposite emotions that inform my song;

And the songs you sing which are the same song;

And the songs of all which are also my song.

• Artist:Violeta Parra