“Nada Valgo Sin Tu Amor” by Juanes, English translation of lyrics

“I Am Not Worth Anything Without Your Love”
Album: Mi Sangre (My Blood), 2004
Style: Soft rock, love song about feeling weak without them and strong with them.
Country: Colombia
Listen: YouTube

Translation:

Cuando el tiempo pasa
Y nos hacemos viejos,
Nos empieza a parecer
Que pesan más los daños
Que los mismos años al final

When time passes
And we grow old,
It starts to seem to us
That the harms weigh more
Than the very years in the end

Por eso yo quiero que mis años pasen
Junto a ti, mi amor eterno,
Junto a mi familia,
Junto a mis amigos y mi voz

That’s why I want my years to pass
Next to you, my eternal love,
Next to my family,
Next to my friends and my voice

Refrain:
Porque nada valgo,
Porque nada tengo
Si no tengo lo mejor
Tu amor y compañía en mi corazón

Because I am not worth anything,
Because I have nothing
If I do not have the best
Your love and company in my heart

Y es que vale más un año tardío que un siglo vacío, amor
Y es que vale más tener bien llenito el corazón

And it’s just that a belated year is worth more than an empty century, my love
And it’s just that it is worth more to have the heart all filled up

Por eso yo quiero que en mi mente siempre tu cariño esté bien fuerte
Aunque estemos lejos o aunque estemos cerca del final

That’s why I want for your tenderness to always be strongly on my mind
Whether we be far from or whether we be near the end

[Refrain, “Porque nada valgo, porque nada tengo…“]

Chorus:
—————————————
Ven amor…
Me siento débil cuando estoy sin ti
Y me hago fuerte cuando estás aquí
Sin ti yo ya no sé qué es vivir
Mi vida es un túnel sin tu luz

Come, my love…
I feel weak when I am without you
And I become strong when you are here
Without you I do not know what living is anymore
My life is a tunnel without your light

Quiero pasar más tiempo junto a ti
Recuperar las noches que perdí
Vencer el miedo inmenso de morir
Y ser eterno junto a ti

I want to pass more time next to you
Recover the nights that I lost
Overcome the immense fear of dying
And be eternal next to you
—————————————

[Refrain, “Porque nada valgo, porque nada tengo…“]

Por eso yo quiero que en mi mente siempre tu cariño esté bien fuerte
Aunque estemos lejos o aunque estemos cerca del final

That’s why I want for your tenderness to always be strongly on my mind
Whether we be far from or whether we be near the end

[Refrain, “Porque nada valgo, porque nada tengo…“]

[Chorus + Refrain]

Translation Notes:

Nos empieza a parecer que pesan más los daños que los mismos años al final
It starts to appear to us that the harms weigh more than the very years in the end

más… que = more… than

pesar [verb] = to weigh, to be heavy (either literally or figuratively)

—

Por eso yo quiero que en mi mente siempre tu cariño esté bien fuerte
That’s why I want for your tenderness to always be strongly on my mind

(Por eso) (yo quiero) que (en mi mente) (siempre) (tu cariño esté bien fuerte)
(That’s why) (I want) that (in my mind) (always) (your tenderness be intense/strong)

fuerte [adj] = strong, intense
bien fuerte = truly strong, very strong

bien + [adj] = totally + [adj]; completely + [adj]; correctly + [adj]; absolutely + [adj]

—

Y ser eterno junto a ti
And be eternal next to you

As opposed to:

Y estar eternamente junto a ti
And be eternally next to you

ser [verb] = to be
estar [verb] = to be

The verb “ser” is used for inherent forms of being, such as those connected with identity.

The verb “estar” is used for states of being that are not usually permanent, such as temporary emotional states, temporary activities, or locations. Even if a location is a permanent location (e.g. someone sentenced to jail for life), it is not an intrinsic part of a person and the verb “estar” is used.

Usually, “ser” is used for: “to be” + noun.
And “estar” is used for: “to be” + verb.

It’s “to be” + adjective that is trickier. That may allow both “ser” and “estar,” but they will mean different things. Generally “estar” is used for impermanent situations like current emotional mood, whereas “ser” is used for long-term and stable situations like identity.

ser estudiante (noun) = to be a student
ser malo/a (adj & noun) = to be bad, to be evil; to be a villain
ser tejano/a (noun) = to be Texan
ser feliz (adj) = to be happy in life, to be a happy person
ser enojón/enojóna (adj) = to be an easily irritated or angered person

estar estudiando (verb) = to be studying
estar malo/a (adj) = to be ill
estar en Tejas (noun) = to be in Texas
estar feliz (adj) = to be happy (at that moment or that day)
estar enojado/a (adj) = to be angry

Note that in the last example, “enojón” is just an adjective, whereas “enojado” is an adjective that comes from the verb “enojar” (to anger). It’s like in English, we have “irritable” and “irritated.” “Irritated” comes directly from the verb “to irritate,” because an irritated person was irritated.