Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
If you wish to reprint translations, please use the Reprint Basket (upper right hand corner).
Reminder: You must always use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Philosophes rêveurs, qui pensez tout savoir,
Ennemis de Bacchus, rentrez dans le devoir :
Vos esprits s'en font trop accroire.
Allez, vieux fous, allez apprendre à boire.
On est savant quand on boit bien :
Qui ne sait boire ne sait rien.
S'il faut rire ou chanter au milieu d'un festin,
Un docteur est alors au bout de son latin ;
Un goinfre en a toute la gloire.
Allez, vieux fous, etc.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Poésies Diverses, in Œuvres de Boileau, Vol. 2 (Collection des Classiques François), Paris: Chez Le Fèvre, 1824, p. 330, titled "Chanson à boir"; also confirmed with Œuvres poétiques de Boileau, Paris, Publication de l'Imprimerie Gènerale, 1872, Volume 2, page 171, titled "Chanson à boire que je fis au sortir de mon Cours de Philosophie à l'âge de dix-sept ans".
Text Authorship:
- by Nicolas Boileau Despreaux (1636 - 1711), title 1: "Chanson à boire", title 2: "Chanson à boire que je fis au sortir de mon Cours de Philosophie à l'âge de dix-sept ans", written 1653 [author's text checked 2 times 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 Charles Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921), "Chanson à boire du vieux temps", 1885, published 1885 [ voice and piano ], Éd. Durand [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Dr Melissa Givens) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Ted Perry
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 10
Word count: 69
Dreaming philosophers who think they know all, Enemies of Bacchus, return to your work: You believe too much in your own knowledge. Come on, old fools, and learn how to drink! The one who drinks well is wise: The who doesn’t drink, knows nothing! If laughter and song make a feast, A doctor is far out of his ken, A glutton will take all the glory! Come on, old fools, etc.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2021 by Dr Melissa Givens, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Nicolas Boileau Despreaux (1636 - 1711), title 1: "Chanson à boire", title 2: "Chanson à boire que je fis au sortir de mon Cours de Philosophie à l'âge de dix-sept ans", written 1653
This text was added to the website: 2021-05-26
Line count: 10
Word count: 71