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With what shall I wash?
With what shall I wash
the skin on my face?
With what shall I wash
as a fallen woman?
Respectable women wash
in lemon water;
full of woes, I wash
in anguish and pain.
English translation by Paul Archer of the text of ¿Con qué la lavaré? by Juan Vásquez (1500-1560). The work was published in 'Recopilación de Sonetos y Villancicos a cuatro y cinco voces' (1560).
¿Con qué la lavaré?
¿Con qué la lavaré
la tez de mi cara?.
¿Con qué la lavaré
que vivo mal penada?
Lávanse las galanas
con agua de limones;
lávome yo, cuitada,
con ansias y pasiones.
A version by an anonymous composer, with a similar text, was published in Cancionero de Uppsala (1556).
With what shall I wash
the flush on my face?
With what shall I wash
as a fallen woman?
Married women wash
in lemon water;
full of woes, I wash
in shame and sorrow.
¿Con qué la lavaré
la flor de la mi cara?
¿Con qué la lavaré
que vivo mal penada?
Lávanse las casadas
con agua de limones;
lávome yo cuitada,
con penas y dolores.
Recording. The Spanish vocal quartet, La Colombina.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xk87v4ARako
Copyright notice. The translation is provided as an aid to musicians and audiences. Publication of the translation in print or digital formats is expressly forbidden unless permission from the author has been first obtained and acknowledgement of authorship is duly made. Permission will usually be granted so please contact Paul Archer with details of how you wish to make use of the translation.
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