Evaporar

there's a missing letter that changes the meaning of that last verse. although the verb would sound the same if it weren't in the infinitive form, the reasoning goes back to the verse before that one, which allows us to be sure it is:

"Como se morrer Fosse desaguar Derramar no céu Se purificar Ah, deixaR pra trás Sais e minerais Evaporar"

(for Portuguese speakers: "deixar pra trás sais e minerais" retoma "como se morrer fosse"; isto é: como se morrer fosse deixar pra trás sais e minerais / como se morrer fosse se purificar.)

I think I'll try and translate the whole thing without taking the structure of the verses nor the order of the sentences into consideration so the meaning comes out better for people who don't speak Portuguese. for those who do, please post your own opinions, because there's a little bit of wordplay:

we've got as much time as we give it whatever happens whatever it takes

we give as much time as we have it [that's the blurry part for me, but it could mean what follows] it takes the things that happen whatever the things that happen cost

only now I realize that what I got from the time I lost was learning how to give

and I still chase that time I was able not to run from it [I was able to] Find myself

(in order to get the meaning from this verse, I had to read it like this:

E ando ainda atrás Desse tempo ter Pude não correr dele Me encontrar

but, of course, it wouldn't fit into the song if it were sung like that)

Ah, it didn't move [I think he means time stood where it was, although he tried to chase it] Hummingbird in the air [and he compares time to a hummingbird precisely because it can fly without moving]

the river stays there the water that ran [into the sea] gets to the tides it [the river] becomes sea

it's as if dying was like debouching like spilling over the sky like a self-purification

like leaving behind salts and minerals like evaporating.

Thanks for the lyrics AND the translation !

It seems to me a mystic reflection about time, with a brillant metaphor assimilating time with water.

agreed. thanks for translating. although i don't speak portuguese, i'm in love with the language, and little joy is just so amazing. this song just seems very reflective to me, i think that's why i like their music so much in general. all of the songs are about reflection on various aspects of life and the human persona.

i love this song so much its so beautiful <3 if only they sang more portuegese songs. i listen to this song as i sleep

i feel like he's reconciling what the passage of time means in relation to death... if death isn't time stopping (time doesn't stop, it's a hummingbird in the air) then what is it... evaporating?

I just realised that coincidentally the end of Julian’s solo album makes reference to evaporation…maybe he was influenced by Little Joy, as he should!

Time, we have As we give Run the race Whatever it takes

Time gives the people As we have The cost to run Run what cost

The time I lost Only now I know Learning to give It was what won

And yet I walk ago From that time has I could not run I find it

Ahh do not move Hummingbird in the air

The river is there The water is gone Tide comes in He turns March

How do you die Would recede Pour in the sky If purify

Ahh leaves behind Salts and minerals, evaporate!