Gracias a la vida

Canción popular, escrita por la cantante chilena famosa y querida Violeta Parra. Hay muchas versiones de esta canción. Una de las más conocidas es de la cantante argentina, Mercedes Sosa. Joan Baez también la canta.
Popular song, written by the famous and loved Chilean singer Violeta Parra. There are many versions of this song. One of the better known is the one by Argentine singer, Mercedes Sosa. Joan Baez also sings it.

In Latin American Spanish varieties, there is no distinction between the formal and the informal plural of ´tú´ (you). The form is ´ustedes´. In Spain, however, there is a distinction between ´ustedes´ and ´vosotros/as´.

Aquí puedes escuchar una versión acústica
Here you can listen to an acoustic version

Y aquí, Mercedes Sosa cantando con Joan Baez:
And here, Mercedes Sosa singing with Joan Baez:

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto
Me dio dos luceros, que cuando los abro
Perfecto distingo, lo negro del blanco
Y en el alto cielo, su fondo estrellado
Y en las multitudes, el hombre que yo amo

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto
Me ha dado el sonido del abecedario
Con él, las palabras que pienso y declaro
Madre, amigo, hermano
Y luz alumbrando, la ruta del alma del que estoy amando

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto
Me ha dado la marcha de mis pies cansados
Con ellos anduve ciudades y charcos
Playas y desiertos, montañas y llanos
Y la casa tuya, tu calle y tu patio

Gracias a la vida, que me ha dado tanto
Me dio el corazón, que agita su marco
Cuando miro el fruto del cerebro humano
Cuando miro el bueno tan lejos del malo
Cuando miro el fondo de tus ojos claros

Gracias a la vida que me ha dado tanto
Me ha dado la risa y me ha dado el llanto
Así yo distingo dicha de quebranto
Los dos materiales, que forman mi canto
Y el canto de ustedes que es el mismo canto 
Y el canto de todos que es mi propio canto
Gracias a la vida, gracias a la vida
Gracias a la vida, gracias a la vida

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.

It gave me two stars, which when I open them,

Perfectly distinguish black from white

And in the tall sky its starry backdrop,

And within the multitudes the man that I love.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.

It gave me the sound of the abc

with it, the words that I think and declare,

“Mother,” “Friend,” “Brother” 

and the light shining down on

The road of the soul of the one I'm loving.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.

It gave me the steps of my tired feet.

With them I walked cities and puddles

Beaches and deserts, mountains and plains.

And the house of yours, your street and your courtyard.

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.

It gave me this heart that shakes its frame,

When I see the fruit of the human brain,

When I see good so far from evil,

When I look into the depth of your light eyes…

Thanks to life, which has given me so much.

It gave me laughter and it gave me tears.

With them I distinguish happiness from pain

The two elements that make up my song,

And your song of yours, which is the same song.

And everyone’s song, which is my own song.