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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 Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

À quoi bon entendre
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  CHI ENG SPA
À quoi bon entendre
Les oiseaux des bois ?
L'oiseau le plus tendre
Chante dans ta voix.

Que Dieu montre ou voile
Les astres des cieux !
La plus pure étoile
Brille dans tes yeux.

Qu'avril renouvelle
Le jardin en fleur !
La fleur la plus belle
Fleurit dans ton cœur.

Cet oiseau de flamme,
Cet astre du jour,
Cette fleur de l'âme,
S'appelle l'amour !

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   E. Chabrier •   L. Delibes •   M. Giuliani •   V. Massé •   E. Nevin •   C. Saint-Saëns •   L. Spohr 

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View text with all available footnotes

Text Authorship:

  • by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "La Chanson des Lavandieres", appears in Ruy Blas, Act 2, Scene 1, first published 1838 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]

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Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 63

Why should one listen
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
Add this translation to your Reprint Basket | Add tr by E. Chabrier
Why should one listen
To the birds of the wood?
The most tender bird
Sings in your voice.

Let God reveal or hide
The stars in the sky!
The most pure star
Shines in your eyes.

Let April renew
The flowering garden!
The most lovely flower
Blossoms in your heart.

This bird of passion,
This star of day,
This flower of the soul -
It is called Love!

Available sung text translations:   ← What is this?

•   E. Chabrier 

About the headline (FAQ)

View text with all available footnotes
Translation of title "À la bien aimée" = "To the beloved"

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Emily Ezust, (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.


Based on:

  • a text in French (Français) by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "La Chanson des Lavandieres", appears in Ruy Blas, Act 2, Scene 1, first published 1838
    • Go to the text page.

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This text was added to the website: 2016-01-02
Line count: 16
Word count: 68

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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