This is a song that I got to know in my teenage time.  It was translated into Chinese.  As cassettes were expensive back then, there were only a handful in my home.  I listened to them over and over, got very familiar with the melodies.  This song was in one of those cassettes.

I've been wondering what the original version is like.  But even the Internet couldn't help, since I don't remember the names of the song writers.  Further, who knows the translation was exactly as the original?  Some may get lots of add-on.

Many many years later, I traveled to Bolivia.  I went to a remote city called Potosi.  That evening after I finished dinner, I was strolling on the street.  Suddenly, I heard the melody of this song!  I was so excited, like meeting an old friend of my childhood.  Following the music, I found it's a music store.  Gladly I bought a whole bunch of MP3 files.  From the file name, I was able to find it on YouTube.  And here we are!

Translated lyrics in English:

Zamba of my hope
Dawn like a love
dream, dream of the soul
that sometimes dies without blooming.

Zamba I sing to you
because your song spills love
Caress of your handkerchief
That goes around my heart

Star you who looked
you who heard my suffering
star let me sing
Let me want as I know.

The time that goes by
as life never comes back
time is killing me
and your love will be, will be.

Sunk into horizon
I'm dusty that goes to the wind
zamba don't leave me anymore
Without your singing I don't live anymore.

Lyrics in Spanish:

Zamba de mi esperanza 
amanecida como un querer 
sueño, sueño del alma 
que a veces muere sin florecer. 

Zamba a tí te canto 
porque tu canto derrama amor 
caricia de tu pañuelo 
que va envolviendo mi corazón. 

Estrella tú que miraste 
tú que escuchaste mi padecer 
estrella deja que cante 
deja que quiera como yo sé. 

El tiempo que va pasando 
como la vida no vuelve más 
el tiempo me va matando 
y tu cariño será, será. 

Hundido en horizonte 
soy polvareda que al viento va 
zamba ya no me dejes 
yo sin tu canto no vivo más.