Pescador De Hombres

This song by Cesareo Gabarian is the next song in the miscellaneous pile of have been neglecting and was coincidentally just requested by Tina. We have sung it occasionally in a rather awkward English translation. The first one below seems an awful lot better than what we have been using.

You can hear an excerpt and buy the music here. This small choir does a nice version as does this church.

My backing only goes for three verses.

1. Tú has venido a la orilla,
no has buscado ni a sabios ni a ricos;
tan sólo quieres que yo te siga.

Estribillo
Señor, me has mirado a los ojos,
sonriendo has dicho mi nombre,
en la arena he dejado mi barca,
junto a ti buscaré otro mar.

2. Tú sabes bien lo que tengo;
en mi barca no hay oro ni espadas,
Tan sólo redes y mi trabajo.

3. Tú necesitas mis manos,
mi cansancio que a otros descanse,
Amor que quiera seguir amando.

4. Tú, pescador de otros lagos,
ansia eterna de almas que esperan,
amigo bueno, que así me llamas.

1. Lord, you have come to the seashore,
neither searching for the rich nor the wise,
desiring only that I should follow.

Refrain
O, Lord, with your eyes set upon me,
gently smiling, you have spoken my name;
all I longed for I have found by the water,
at your side, I will seek other shores.

2. Lord, see my goods, my possessions;
in my boat you find no power, no wealth.
Will you accept, then, my nets and labour?

3. Lord, take my hands and direct them.
Help me spend myself in seeking the lost,
returning love for the love you gave me.

4. Lord, as I drift on the waters,
be the resting place of my restless heart,
my life’s companion, my friend and refuge.

Neither the Spanish version nor this English translation are used at our church.  Here is the English translation we have used:

Verse 1

Here at the edge of the sea,

Notwithstanding the wise and the wealthy,

You came to summon for me to follow.

Chorus

O Lord, with a glance you embraced me:

Then you smiles and whispered my name.

I’ve abandoned my boat in my harbour;

Close to You I will seek other shores.

Verse 2

Here in this vessel I own

There’s no treasure, no weapon of war;

Just gear for fishing and years of toil.

Chorus

Verse 3

Here are the arms you require:

Tired branches to shelter the wearied;

A love that’s striving to grow and blossom.

Chorus

© OCP Publications, 1979,1980.

 

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9 Responses to Pescador De Hombres

  1. I first fell in love with this song /hymn after hearing it on a CD made by children at.a local.school choir in Edinburgh in 2007. Surprisingly, it’s never been sung, as fa
    as i know at our church!

    Chrisdean Bheulah

  2. Can we show a you-tube video of Pescador de Hombres at mass without violating copywrite laws?

  3. Christopher Rushlau says:

    You find the standard translation awkward because it is too clear, too explicit?

    • admin says:

      G’Day Christopher

      I have no idea which version translates the Spanish better, but I think the English in the translation I preferred is more felicitous. “Notwithstanding” is certainly awkward in the version we used to sing.

      cheers

      Geoff

  4. This is such a beautiful song. When is most appropriate for it to be sung?
    Jane Burgoyne

    • admin says:

      G’Day Jane

      It’s a song of commissioning and mission, I suppose.

      There are allegations of sexual abuse against the late Father Gabaráin from the seventies and I know OCP has removed his music while the investigations are ongoing.

      Geoff

  5. E. Donald Osuna says:

    E. Donald Osuna says:

    The second English translation is mine. I have replaced the ‘awkward’ word “notwithstanding” with “disregarding[the wise and the wealthy”].

    My translation of verse 4 is as follows:

    Hear, all you souls that are waiting,
    Hear him calling “Good friend follow me,
    The Lord and Fisher of alien seas.”
    O Lord, with a glance you embraced me,
    Then you smiled and whispered my name.
    I’ve abandoned my boat in the harbor;
    Close to you I will seek other shores.

    © 1980, English translation by E. Donald Osuna.
    Original melody and text © 1979 by Cesáreo Gibaraín

  6. E. Donald Osuna says:

    The second translation is mine.
    In verse 1, I have replaced the ‘awkward’ “Notwithstanding” with “Disregarding t[he wise and the wealthy”]
    My translation of verse 4 is as follows:

    Hear, all you souls that are waiting,
    Hear him calling “Good friend follow me,
    The Lord and Fisher of alien seas.”
    O Lord, with a glance you embraced me,
    Then you smiled and whispered my name.
    I’ve abandoned my boat in the harbor;
    Close to you I will seek other shores.

    © 1980, English translation by E. Donald Osuna.
    Original melody and text © 1979 by Cesáreo Gibaraín

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