This smile, softer than bees' honey | This smile, softer than bees' honey

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by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)

Translation © by David Wyatt

Ce ris plus doulx que l'oeuvre d'une...

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Ce ris plus doulx que l'oeuvre d'une abeille,
Ces doubles liz doublement argentez,
Ces diamantz à double ranc plantez
Dans le coral de sa bouche vermeille,

Ce doulx parler qui les mourantz esveille,
Ce chant qui tient mes soucis enchantez,
Et ces deux cieulx sur deux astres antez,
De ma Deesse annoncent la merveille.

Du beau jardin de son printemps riant,
[Sort]¹ un parfum, qui mesme l'orient
Embasmeroit de ses doulces aleines.

Et de là sort le charme d'une voix,
Qui touts raviz fait sauteler les boys,
Planer les montz, et montaigner les plaines.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

• A. Bertrand

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Bertrand: "Naist" (as appears in the variant of this text).

Text Authorship:

by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), no title [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 Anthoine de Bertrand (1540? - 1581?), "Ce ris plus doulx que l'oeuvre d'une abeille", 1576, published 1578, first performed 1576 [ vocal quartet a cappella ], from Les Amours de Pierre de Ronsard à 4 parties, Livre 1, no. 31 [sung text checked 1 time]

Another version of this text exists in the database.

Go to the text. [ view differences ]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2010-03-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 95

This smile, softer than bees' honey

Language: English after the French (Français)

This smile, softer than bees' honey
These double lilies doubly silvered, 
These diamonds planted in double rows
In the coral of her crimson lips,

This sweet speech which would awaken the dying
This song which holds my fears enchanted
And these two heavens above two stars
Announce the miracle which is my Goddess.

From the beautiful garden of her smiling springtime
Is born from her sweet breath a scent
Which would even perfume the Orient.

And from thence issues the magic of a voice
Which makes the woods, completely charmed, jump for joy,
Makes mountains plains, and plains mountains.

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 by David Wyatt, (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 Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), no title
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2012-05-22
Line count: 14
Word count: 99