“Sagwan” / “Paddle”
REFRAIN:
Kahit malalim lulusungin ko / Even if I have to dive deep
Lahat ng alon haharangin ko / All the waves I’ll block
Kahit malayo tatahakin ko / Even if I have to go far
Kung ito’y pabalik sa’yo / If it’ll go back to you
Maraming beses man lumisan pa / Despite leaving so many times
Sa’yo pa rin palagi ang punta / I still return to you
Kahit ilang bagyo walang sa’kin makakapigil pa / No storm can stop me
Makita lang kita / As long as I see you
CHORUS:
Seaman ang tawag sa amin / “Seaman” is what they call us
Iba’t-iba man ang gawain / [Even if] we may have different jobs
Halina’t kilalanin mo ako / Come on and get to know me
Man ay pasalin-salin / [I] may keep changing
Parang ihip ng hangin / Like the way the wind blows
Kailangang unawain niyo ako / You need to understand me
Si Domingo Evangelista / Domingo Evangelista
Ako’y nanggaling pa probinsya / I came from the province
Lumuwas do’n sa Maynila / Went to Manila
Baka sakali lang kumita / In hopes of earning
Ng pang-gastos sa bawa’t araw / Money for everyday
Nangangarap na balang araw / Hoping that someday
Mag-sagwan sa malaking bangka’ng ang tawag ay barko / I’ll paddle in a big boat called a ship
Taga-hugas ng pinggan / A dishwasher
Pagkatapos ligpitin ang pinagkainan / After cleaning up dirty dishes
Uniporme ko puti na palagi madumi / My white uniform that is always dirty
Huwag nyo na tignan, inyo’ng pakinggan / Don’t look [at it], listen instead
Ang kwento ng bawat tao sa dagat / To the story of each person out at sea
Palutang-lutang sa tubig-alat / Floating on salt-water
Makapag-trabaho ang tanging balak / To be able to work is [our] only intention
Para sa pamilya handang sumabak ang mga / For family, [they’re] ready to dive
(Chorus)
Ako’y mang-aawit sa barko / I’m a singer on a ship
‘Pag gabi tawag sa akin ay Rey / At night I’m called Rey
Pero ang pangalan ko ay Rene / But my name is Rene
Sunud-sunod ang mga tip / Tips keep coming
Kaya laging may pambili / So I always have spending money
Kahit ano kakantahin / [I’ll] sing anything
Basta malakas ang tili / As long as the cheers are loud
Kapag bumirit kinikilig lahat ng kababaihan / When I sing, all the women are exhilarated
Oo ang sagot kahit hindi ko pa nililigawan / “Yes” is their answer even if I haven’t asked them out yet
Halo-halong pabango na ang kumapit sa unan / So many perfume scents have grabbed onto my pillow
Hindi na mabilang kaya ngayon ay may karamdaman / [I] can no longer count them, now I have an illness
Ako naman si Tonyo ang kanang kamay ng kapitan / I’m Tonyo, the right-hand man of the captain
Asensado na tila ba walang mapaglagyan ng salapi / Successful like I’m running out of places to put my money
Pag-uwi mahirap ang mangiti / When I go home, it’s hard to smile
Parang mali ang tubo ng mga iniwang kong binhi / It seems the seeds I’ve left have grown wrong
Nalulong sa bisyo at tumigil na sa pag-aaral / Addicted to bad habits and stopped schooling
Palaging naka-ngiti ang kilos ay tila mabagal / Always smiling and slow to move
Ang mahal kong asawa tangay ang lahat ng takal / My beloved wife is the one who holds the measuring cup
Karangyaan pa pala ang siyang dahilan at sagabal sa buhay / Who knew that luxury would be the reason and hindrance to life
(Refrain)
Napunasan ko na po ang kahuli-hulihang plato / I’ve wiped the very last plate
Nalinisan ko na din at mabango na mga banyo / I’ve also cleaned the now fragrant bathroom
Habang nagpapahinga at mag-isa sa’king kwarto / While I’m resting alone in my room
Paulit-ulit ko sinasabi ang aking pangako / I keep repeating my promise
Sa’king pamilya at mga anak, asawang naiwan sa Pilipinas / To my family, children and wife I left in the Philippines
Nakakaiyak man ‘di binitawan / Even if it makes me cry, I didn’t let go
Larawan niyo kahit pa nasusuka na ako sa alon / Of your picture even if I’m ready to vomit from the waves
Ang inyong kinabukasan ang siyang tangi kong baon / Your future is my sole provision
At nang lumaon ay makauwi sabay na umahon / And later I can go home and rise
Sa kahirapan na bahagi na lamang ng kahapon / From poverty that will only be part of the past
Pero sana’y maintindihan upang muling masindihan / But [I] hope [you] understand so that [we] can rekindle
Natin ang kalan at ng malagyan ang hapagkainan / The stove and provide for the table
Lalayo muli dadaong sa ibang bayan / [I’ll] go away again and travel to a different country
Kahit madalas ay dagat lang ang nasisilayan / Even if oftentimes the sea is the only view I see
Sampu ng mga kababayan ko na tinitibayan / Ten of my countrymen, strengthening
Pag-asa na tangan-tangan na ‘sing tibay ng kawayan / This hope we bring that’s as strong as bamboo
(Refrain)
(Chorus)
OPM Translations 