I was born by the river 我出生在河边

In a little tent 在一个小帐篷

Oh 呵呵

And just like the river 就这样在河

I been a running ever since 我一直à自从运行

It's been a long 这是一个漫长的

A long time coming but I know a change gon' come 很长一段时间来，但我知道一个变化坤来

Oh 呵呵

Yes it will 是的，它会

   

It's been too hard living but I'm afraid to die 它已经太辛苦活，但我不怕死

Cause I don't know what's up there beyond the sky 因为我不知道这是怎么回事有超越天空

It's been a long 这是一个漫长的

A long time coming but I know a change gon' come 很长一段时间来，但我知道一个变化坤来

Oh, yes it will 哦，是的，它会

   

And I go to the movie and I go downtown 我去看电影，我去市区

Somebody keeps telling me, "Don't hang around" 有人不断告诉我， “不要流连”

It's been a long 这是一个漫长的

A long time coming but I know a change gon' come 很长一段时间来，但我知道一个变化坤来

Oh 呵呵

Yes it will 是的，它会

   

Then I go to my brother and I say, I say "Brother help me please" 然后，我去我的哥哥和我说，我说“大哥帮帮我好吗”

But he winds up knocking me back down, back down on my knees 但他缠我敲背下来，我的膝盖回落

   

There've been times that I thought I couldn't last for long 有去过，我认为我不能持续太久时间

Now I think I'm able to carry on 现在，我想我能够继续

It's been a long 这是一个漫长的

A long time coming but I know a change gon' come 很长一段时间来，但我知道一个变化坤来

Oh, yes it will 哦，是的，它会

But I know a change gon' come 但我知道改变坤来