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It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.

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by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955)
Translation © by Grant Hicks

Invitation
Language: French (Français)  after the Chinese (中文) 
Our translations:  ENG
Venez ! Autour de ma de demeure chante un ruisseau 
qui est gai comme le printemps. 
Vous verrez peut-être des mouettes, si le vent se lève.
Comme je ne reçois jamais personne, 
je ne fais pas balayer les allées de mon jardin.
Vous marcherez sur un tapis de feuilles. 
Vous m'excuserez de vous offrir un déjeuner modeste, 
car le marché est très éloigné. 
Croyez que je m'efforcerai de vous dire des choses agréables 
pour compenser la rusticité de ma table.
Vous hésitez ? Vous craignez de me déranger ? 
Nous allons boire quand même ensemble,
et nous trinquerons par-dessus la haie.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   K. Goeyvaerts 

View text with all available footnotes

Confirmed with Franz Toussaint, La flûte de jade, Paris: H. Piazza, 1922, page 48.


Text Authorship:

  • by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955), "Invitation", appears in La flûte de jade [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

Based on:

  • a text in Chinese (中文) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist  [text unavailable]
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general view


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Grant Hicks [Guest Editor] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2025-02-19
Line count: 13
Word count: 100

Invitation
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
Come! Around my dwelling a stream sings
with the gaiety of springtime. 
You may see gulls if the wind comes up. 
As I never entertain,
I don't keep the paths in my garden swept. 
You'll be walking on a carpet of leaves. 
You'll forgive me if I offer you a modest lunch, 
since the market is so far away. 
Be assured that I will do my best to tell you pleasant things,
to make up for the rustic simplicity of my table.
Do you hesitate? Are you afraid of disturbing me?
We will drink together anyway,
and clink glasses over the hedge.

Available sung text translations:   ← What is this?

•   K. Goeyvaerts 

View text with all available footnotes

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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 Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955), "Invitation", appears in La flûte de jade
    • Go to the text page.

Based on:

  • a text in Chinese (中文) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist  [text unavailable]
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general view


This text was added to the website: 2026-04-30
Line count: 13
Word count: 104

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