by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Translation by Harry Rodney Bennett (1890 - 1948), as Rodney Bennett
Le pauvre laboureur
Language: French (Français)
Le pauvre laboureur Il a bien du malheur Du jour de sa naissance 'L est déjà malheureux. Qu’il pleuve, qu’il tonne, qu’il vente, Qu’il fasse mauvais temps, L’on voit toujours, sans cesse, Le laboureur aux champs. Le pauvre laboureur Il n’est qu’un partisan ; Il est vêtu de toile Comme un moulin à vent ; Il met des arselettes, C’est l’état de son métier Pour empêcher la terre D’entrer dans ses souliers. Le pauvre laboureur [A de]1 petits enfants ; Les [envoie]2 à la charrue [À l’âge de]3 quinze ans. [Il a perdu sa femme À l’âge de trente ans ; Elle le laisse tout seul Avecques ses enfants.]4 Le pauvre laboureur, Il est toujours [content]5 ; Quand [’l]6 est à la charrue, Il est toujours [chantant]7. Il n’est [roi]8 ni prince, Ni [duc]9, ni seigneur Qui [ne vive]10 de la peine Du pauvre laboureur.
R. Quilter sets stanzas 1, 3-4
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Quilter: "L'a deux"
2 Quilter: "mène"
3 Quilter: "N'ont pas encor'"
4 Quilter:
Qu’il pleuve, qu’il tonne, qu’il vente, Qu’il fasse mauvais temps, L’on voit toujours, sans cesse, Le laboureur aux champs.5 Quilter: "chantant"
6 Quilter: "il"
7 Quilter: "content"
8 Quilter: "ni roi"
9 Quilter: "ducque"
10 Quilter: "n'vive"
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author, "Le pauvre labourer" [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 Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953), "Le pauvre laboureur", published 1947, stanzas 1,3-4 [ voice and piano ], from The Arnold Book of Old Songs, no. 9, London, Boosey & Hawkes, also set in English [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Harry Rodney Bennett (1890 - 1948) ; composed by Roger Quilter.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2022-01-30
Line count: 32
Word count: 152
The man behind the plough
Language: English after the French (Français)
The man behind the plough, He has trouble and to spare. From the cradle to the grave Heavy burden must he bear. Come rain, come wind, come tempest, No matter when or how, His toil must be unceasing, The man behind the plough. [... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...] The man behind the plough, He has bairns to call his own; Must breed them to his trade, Some are babes and some half grown. Come rain, come wind, come thunder, No matter when or how, His life is toil and labour, The man behind the plough. The man behind the plough, He will sing the time along; As he guides the cleaving share... Never is the day an hour too long. No prince, nor duke, nor lordling, Nor king with crown on brow But lives upon his labour, The man behind the plough.
R. Quilter sets stanzas 1, 3-4
Text Authorship:
- by Harry Rodney Bennett (1890 - 1948), as Rodney Bennett [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , "Le pauvre labourer"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Roger Quilter (1877 - 1953), "The man behind the plough", published 1947, stanzas 1,3-4 [ voice and piano ], from The Arnold Book of Old Songs, no. 9, London, Boosey & Hawkes, also set in French (Français) [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2022-01-30
Line count: 32
Word count: 137