Mariposas Lyrics in English by Shakira
Mezquino translates to 'stingy,' 'petty,' or 'meager'. It's a powerful and uncommon word used to describe someone or something that is ungenerous.
In this beautiful lyric, Shakira sings "Y el universo es mezquino / Comparado con lo que me das" (And the universe is meager / Compared to what you give me). She uses this striking word to make a grand romantic statement: that even the vastness of the universe seems small and insignificant compared to the love her partner gives her.
Colombian pop star Shakira goes all in on a playful, unstoppable kind of romance here. Instead of the usual polite flutter in the chest, she sings that butterflies fly straight from her belly button over to her partner ("Vuelan de mi ombligo hasta ti" [They fly from my navel to you]). She imagines her body as a cozy nest for his tenderness ("Quiero que mi vientre sea el nido / Siembra tu ternura en mí" [I want my womb to be the nest / Plant your tenderness in me]), describing a bond so full of commitment that she plans to stay for life.
She also drops a great Spanish idiom into the track: "Yo no doy puntada sin dedal" (literally [I don't make a stitch without a thimble]). In Spanish, this means you never act without thinking ahead or protecting yourself. It shows she is not just swept away by magic; she knows exactly what she wants. Having kicked the stones out of their shared path ("Ya pateamos las piedras del camino" [We already kicked the stones out of the way]), she declares her love "sobrenatural" [supernatural] and promises to keep going without rest.
