Em almoeda vi estar

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Song About a Rich Man Up for Auction
  • I saw a rich man being auctioned
  • by a dealer who called out loud,
  • "What do I hear for a rich man?",
  • but not a buyer could be found
  • who wanted him at any price.
  • "For that man there," they all cried,
  • "we wouldn't put a nickel down."
  • Anyone there could tell you why
  • the task of the auctioneer was futile:
  • the rich man never learned a trade,
  • and who would pay for a useless fool?
  • He doesn't do any kind of work
  • that might to a buyer be of worth,
  • nor can he fix the simplest food.
  • When they put him up for sale,
  • indeed they asked the man himself,
  • "Well, rich man, what can you do?"
  • "Nothing at all," the rich man said:
  • "I hate to work and hate to spend,
  • although I do like buying land,
  • if you have any you'd like to sell."
  • After they had heard all this,
  • not one man or woman present
  • offered even the slightest pittance.

[English version by Richard Zenith]

Nota geral

Posto em leilão (em almoeda), um rico-homem não encontra comprador. Segundo nos diz Pero da Ponte, a mercadoria, de facto, não tem qualidade: além de preguiçoso e avarento, o homem não sabe fazer nada, nem mesmo comida. Repare-se que passa na cantiga uma imagem de um mercado medieval de escravos.