by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)
Translation © by David Wyatt

L'homme est vraiment ou de plomb ou de...
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
L'homme est vraiment ou de plomb ou de bois, 
S'il ne tressaut de crainte et de merveille, 
Quand face à face il void ma non-pareille, 
Ou quand il oyt les accords de sa voix ; 

Ou quand, pensive, aux jours des plus beaux mois,
La voit à part (comme un qui se conseille)
Tracer les prés, et d'une main vermeille 
[Tirer de rang]1 les fleurettes de choix; 

Ou quand, l'esté, lorsque le chaud s'avale, 
Au soir, à l'huys il la void qu'elle egale 
La soye à l'or d'un pouce ingenieux; 

Puis de ses doits, qui les roses effacent, 
Toucher son luth, et d'un tour de ses yeux 
Piller les cœurs de mille hommes qui passent.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   G. Boni 

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Boni: "Trier à part"

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

  • ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "A man is truly made of lead or wood", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: David Wyatt

This text was added to the website: 2015-02-26
Line count: 14
Word count: 115

A man is truly made of lead or wood
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
A man is truly made of lead or wood
If he does not start from fear and wonder
When he sees face to face my unequalled lady
Or when he hears the harmony of her voice;

Or when he sees her alone, pensive, 
In the fairest months, as if taking counsel with herself,
Crossing the meadows and with her rosy hand
[Picking from their rows]1 the choicest blooms;

Or when in the summer, when the heat abates
In the evening, he sees her by the door as she makes
Silk like gold with her clever fingers;

Then with her fingers which are pinker than roses
Playing her lute, and with a glance of her eyes
Stealing the hearts of a thousand passing men.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Boni: "Separating out"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2015 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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This text was added to the website: 2015-02-26
Line count: 14
Word count: 123