Happiness must end -- but sadness goes on and on.
Happiness is like the dewdrops on a flower
that sparkle for a moment in the dawn,
then fall like teardrops from the eyes of a young girl,
who cries to realize her lover's gone.
Poor people work all year to make one dream come true:
to share a night of joy at carnaval
They dress up as clowns, and pirates, and kings,
and dance the night away -- they're still dancing as day breaks.
As long as they dance they can pretend,
that happiness and carnaval won't end.
da capo al fine