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Don't keep yourself safe
(English translation of 'No te salves' by Mario Benedetti)
Don't stand idly
by the side of the road
don’t freeze the joy you should feel
don't love half-heartedly
don't keep yourself safe now
or ever
don’t keep yourself safe
don’t be filled with a deep calm
don't just hide away
in a quiet corner of the world
don't let your eyelids fall
heavily like judgments
don't keep your mouth shut
don't fall asleep without dreaming
don't think without passion
don't judge yourself in haste
but if
after all
you can't help it
and freeze the joy you should feel
and love half-heartedly
and keep yourself safe now
and fill yourself with a deep calm
and just hide away
in a quiet corner in the world
and let your eyelids fall
heavily like judgments
and let your mouth dry up
and fall asleep without dreaming
and think without passion
and judge yourself in haste
and stand idly
by the side of the road
and keep yourself safe
then
don't stay with me
For more translations of poems by Mario Benedetti, go to Translations.
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