En mi viejo San Juan [English translation]

In my old San Juan

How many dreams I forge

in my childhood nights!

My first dream

and my troubles of love

are memories of the soul.

One afternoon I left

towards a foreign nation,

as fate would have it,

but my heart

remained facing the sea

in my old San Juan

Goodbye (goodbye, goodbye)

Dear Borinquen1 (land of my love).

Goodbye (goodbye, goodbye)

my sea goddess (my palm queen),

I'm leaving (I'm leaving)

but one day I'll return

to find of my love,

to dream again,

in my old San Juan.

But time passed by

and destiny mocked

my terrible nostalgia,

and I couldn't return

to the San Juan that I loved,

little piece of my land.

My hair whitened2

and my life fades away

and death calls for me,

and don't want to die

away from you

Puerto Rico of the soul.

Goodbye (goodbye, goodbye)

Dear Borinquen (land of my love).

Goodbye (goodbye, goodbye)

my sea goddess (my palm queen),

I'm leaving (I'm leaving)

but one day I'll return

to find of my love,

to dream again,

in my old San Juan.

1. Puerto Ricans often call the island Borinquen, from Borikén, its indigenous Taíno name, which means "Land of the Valiant Lord". Info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puerto_Rico.2. with age