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Mignonne, sais tu comment, S'épousent les roses? Ah! cet hymen est charmant! Quelles tendres choses Elles disent en ouvrant Leurs paupières closes! Mignonne, sais tu comment S'épousent les roses? Elles disent: Aimons nous! Si courte est la vie! Ayons les baisers plus doux, L'âme plus ravie! Pendant que l'homme, à genoux, Doute, espère, ou prie! Ô mes soeurs, embrassons-nous Si courte est la vie! Croix-moi, mignonne, croix-moi, Aimons nous comme elles, Vois, le printemps vient à toi, Et, des hirondelles Aimer est l'unique loi À leurs nids fidèles. Ô ma reine suis ton roi, Aimons nous comme elles. Excepté d'avoir aimé, Qu'est-il donc sur terre? Notre horizon est fermé, Ombre, nuit, mystère! Un seul phare est allumé, L'amour nous l'éclaire! Excepté d'avoir aimé, Qu'est-il donc sur terre?
Text Authorship:
- by Eugène David (1784 - 1830) [author's text not yet checked 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 César Franck (1822 - 1890), "Le mariage des roses", FWV. 80, CFF. 183 (1871), published 1873 [ high voice and piano ], first published in Le monde musical, vol 1 [ sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Faith J. Cormier) , "The marriage of the roses", copyright © 2003, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Amy Pfrimmer) , "The marriage of the roses", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 127
My dear one, do you know how the roses marry? It's a charming ceremony. They say all sort of sweet nothings as they open up. My sweet, do you know how the roses marry? They say, "Let us love each other! Life is so short! Let us have the sweetest kisses, the most ravished soul! While man, on his knees, doubts, hopes or prays! My sisters, let us embrace each other! Life is so short!" Believe me, my dear one, believe me, we must love each other as they do. Look, spring is coming to you, and the only law in the swallows' faithful nests is love. My queen, follow your king. Let us love as they do. Unless you have loved, what use is life on this earth? Our horizon is closed, shadow, night, mystery! Only one lamp is lit - Love lights our way! Unless you have loved, what use is life on this earth?
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 by Amy Pfrimmer, (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 French (Français) by Eugène David (1784 - 1830)
This text was added to the website: 2019-07-04
Line count: 32
Word count: 156