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Je fuy les pas frayez du meschant populaire, Et les villes où sont les peuples amassez : Les rochers, les forests desja sçavent assez Quelle trampe a ma vie estrange et solitaire. Si ne suis-je si seul, qu'Amour mon secretaire N'accompagne mes pieds debiles et cassez : Qu'il ne conte mes maux et presens et passez A ceste voix sans corps, qui rien ne sçauroit taire. Souvent plein de discours, pour flatter mon esmoy, Je m'arreste, et je dy : Se pourroit-il bien faire Qu'elle pensast, parlast, ou se souvint de moy ? Qu'à sa pitié mon mal commençast à desplaire ? Encor que je me trompe, abusé du contraire, Pour me faire plaisir, Helene, je le croy.
Modernized version used by Leguerney:
Je fuis les pas frayés du méchant populaire, Et les villes où sont les peuples amassés : Les rochers, les forêts déjà savent assez Quelle trempe a ma vie étrange et solitaire. Si ne suis-je si seul, qu'Amour mon sécretaire N'accompagne mes pieds débiles et cassés, : Qu'il ne conte mes maux et présents et passés A cette voix sans corps, qui rien ne saurait taire. Souvent plein de discours, pour flatter mon émoi, Je m'arrête, et je dis : Se pourrait-il bien faire Qu'elle pensât, parlât, ou se souvînt de moi ? Qu'à sa pitié mon mal commençât à déplaire ? Encor que je me trompe, abusé du contraire, Pour me faire plaisir, Hélène, je le croi.
Text Authorship:
- by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), appears in Le Premier Livre des Sonnets pour Hélène, no. 26, first published 1578 [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 Jacques Leguerney (1906 - 1997), "Je fuis les pas frayés", 1944, published 1986, first performed 1946 [ voice and piano ], from Poèmes de la Pléiade, Vol. III, no. 1, Éditions Max Eschig [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , "I avoid the paths well-trodden", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-06-02
Line count: 14
Word count: 113
I avoid the paths well-trodden by the wicked generality And towns where people are gathered Rocks and forests already know well enough The route of my strange and solitary life. If I were not so alone, Love my minister Would not accompany my weak and broken steps He would not count my ills, present and past, In his disembodied voice which none can silence. Often full of words, to calm my agitation, I stop myself and say: "Could it really be That she thinks, speaks or remembers me? That my ills begin to be displeasing to her pity?" And so again I fool myself, so used to the opposite -- But to give myself happiness, Hélène, I believe it.
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.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), appears in Le Premier Livre des Sonnets pour Hélène, no. 26, first published 1578
This text was added to the website: 2012-06-06
Line count: 14
Word count: 118