Balança Que Pesa Ouro
Lyrics, Translations, Music Video and Song Meaning
Song Lyrics
0:00:29 - Balança que pesa ouro
Eng: A scale that weighs gold
0:00:32 - Não é pra pesar metal
Eng: Isn’t meant for weighing metal
0:00:35 - Tem passarinho pequeno
Eng: There are small birds
0:00:37 - Que mata cobra coral
Eng: That kill coral snakes
0:00:40 - Balança que pesa ouro
Eng: A scale that weighs gold
0:00:43 - Não é pra pesar metal
Eng: Isn’t meant for weighing metal
0:00:46 - Tem passarinho pequeno
Eng: There are small birds
0:00:48 - Que mata cobra coral
Eng: That kill coral snakes
0:00:51 - Balança que pesa ouro
Eng: Isn’t meant for weighing metal
0:00:53 - Não é pra pesar metal
Eng: Isn’t meant for weighing metal
0:00:56 - Tem passarinho pequeno
Eng: I’m not the owner of the world
0:00:59 - Que mata cobra coral
Eng: But I am the owner’s son
0:01:01 - Balança que pesa ouro
Eng: Isn’t meant for weighing metal
0:01:04 - Não é pra pesar metal
Eng: Isn’t meant for weighing metal
0:01:07 - Tem passarinho pequeno
Eng: There are small birds
0:01:10 - Que mata cobra coral
Eng: That kill coral snakes
0:01:12 - Boi com sede bebe lama
Eng: A thirsty steer will drink mud
0:01:14 - Barriga vazia não dá sono
Eng: An empty stomach brings no sleep
0:01:17 - Eu não sou dono do mundo
Eng: I’m not the owner of the world
0:01:20 - Mas eu sou filho dono
Eng: And I land in the same place
0:01:23 - Balança que pesa ouro
Eng: A scale that weighs gold
0:01:26 - Não é pra pesar metal
Eng: I’m not the owner of the world
History and sentiment behind song
The song uses metaphor as a warning not to be too quick to judge other capoeiristas by their appearance. “Balança que pesa ouro, não é pra pesar metal” is a way of saying that you “Shouldn’t judge everyone by the same yardstick“. “Tem passarinho pequeno que mata cobra coral” means “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover / appearances can be deceiving”.
The chorus's premise is to never underestimate the other player in the roda. They may seem smaller or weaker, but they might still have a very dangerous game!
