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'Twas ev'n -- the dewy fields were green, On every blade the pearls hang; The zephyr wanton'd round the bean, And bore its fragrant sweets alang; In ev'ry glen the mavis sang, All nature list'ning seem'd the while, Except where green-wood echoes rang Among the braes of Ballochmyle. With careless step I onward stray'd, My heart rejoic'd in nature's joy, When musing in a lonely glade, A maiden fair I chanc'd to spy; Her look was like the morning's eye, Her air like nature's vernal smile; [Perfection whisper'd, passing by:— " Behold the lass of Ballochmyle !"]1 Fair is the morn in flow'ry May, And sweet is night in autumn mild, When roving through the garden gay, Or wand'ring in the lonely wild: But woman, nature's darling child! There all her charms she does compile; Even there her other works are foil'd By the bonny lass o' Ballochmyle. O had she been a country maid, And I the happy country swain, Tho' shelter'd in the lowest shed That ever rose on Scotland's plain! Thro' weary winter's wind and rain With joy, with rapture, I would toil; And nightly to my bosom strain The bonny lass o' Ballochmyle. Then Pride might climb the slipp'ry steep, Where fame and honours lofty shine. And thirst of gold might tempt the deep, Or downward seek the Indian mine ! Give me the cot below the pine, To tend the flocks or till the soil, And ev'ry day have joys divine With the bonie lass o' Ballochmyle.
J. Haydn sets stanzas 1-4
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with The Complete Poetical Works of Robert Burns, Cambridge edition, Boston and New York, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1897, page 305.
1 Haydn : "The lily's hue and rose's dye/Bespoke the lass o' Ballochmyle."
Authorship:
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "The lass of Ballochmyle", title 2: "Johnie's grey breeks" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Johnie's grey breeks", JHW XXXII/3 no. 177, Hob. XXXIa no. 154, stanzas 1-4 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by F. C. Füchs.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Dívka z Ballochmyle"
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Ferdinando Albeggiani , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2009-12-29
Line count: 40
Word count: 251
C'était le soir, les champs couverts de rosée étaient verts, Des perles coulaient sur chaque feuille, Le zéphyr folâtrait dans les fèves Et transportait leur parfum odoriférant, Dans chaque vallée chantait la grive, Tandis que toute la nature semblait écouter, Sauf là où les échos du pic vert retentissaient Dans les bois de Ballochmyle. J'avançais d'un pas nonchalant, Le cœur réjoui par la joie de la nature, Quand, méditant dans une clairière retirée, Je vis par hasard une jolie fille, Son regard ressemblait à celui du matin, Elle avait le sourire de la nature au printemps, [La perfection murmurait en passant : « Contemple la fille de Ballochmyle ! »]1 Le matin est beau au mois de mai en fleurs, Et la nuit est suave dans le doux automne, Quand on erre dans un joyeux jardin Ou que l'on vagabonde dans la nature solitaire ; Mais une femme, enfant chéri de la nature ! Y ajoute tous ses charmes ! Même ici ses autres œuvres sont vaincues Par la jolie fille de Ballocmyle. Ô si elle était une fille de la campagne, Et moi un joyeux paysan, Habitant même le plus humble abri Qui ne fut jamais élevé dans la plaine d'Écosse ! Sous le vent et la pluie de l'épuisant hiver Je besognerais avec joie et ravissement, Et la nuit serrerais sur mon cœur La jolie fille de Ballochmyle. Alors Orgueil pourrait gravir la pente glissante Où la renommée et les honneurs brillent fièrement Et la soif de l'or pourrait provoquer les profondeurs, Ou chercher en bas la mine indienne ! Donnez-moi une cabane sous le pin, Pour garder les troupeaux ou cultiver la terre, Et chaque jour avoir de divines joies Avec la jolie fille de Ballochmyle.
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)"The lass of Ballochmyle" = "La fille de Ballochmyle"
1 Haydn : "Un teint de lis et une nuance de rose/Distinguaient la fille de Ballochmyle."
Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2014 by Pierre Mathé, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in English by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "The lass of Ballochmyle", title 2: "Johnie's grey breeks"
This text was added to the website: 2014-09-22
Line count: 40
Word count: 289