If I were a sunbeam | If I were a sunbeam, I would go, young girl

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by Paul Collin (1845 - 1915)

Translation © by Emily Ezust

Si j'etais rayon

(Sung text for setting by M. de Rothschild)

See base text

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Si j'étais rayon, j'irais, jeune fille,
Si j'étais rayon splendide et joyeux,
Verser tout l'éclat de mon feu qui brille
Dans tes jolis yeux.

Si j'étais zéphir, j'irais dans les tresses,
Dans les tresses d'or de tes cheveux doux,
Je leur donnerais de folles caresses,
Malgré les jaloux!

 ... 

Si j'étais Amour, j'irais dans ton âme,
Si j'étais Amour, j'irais dans ton coeur,
Épeler, le soir, les lettres de flamme
De mon nom vainqueur!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

Composition:

Mathilde, Baroness Willy de Rothschild

Text Authorship:

by Paul Collin (1845 - 1915), "Ariette", written 1874, appears in Glas et Carillons, Poésies, in 2. Poésies diverses, Paris, Éd. Hachette & Lemerre, first published 1874

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "If I were a sunbeam", copyright © 2012

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 118

If I were a sunbeam

(Sung text translation for setting by M. de Rothschild)

See original

Language: English after the French (Français)

If I were a sunbeam, I would go, young girl,
If I were a sunbeam, splendid and joyous,
I would pour all the fire of my brilliance
Into your lovely eyes.

If I were a breeze, I would go into your braids,
Into the golden braids of your soft hair,
I would give them frantic caresses,
To spite those jealous people!

 ... 

If I were Love, I would go into your soul,
If I were Love, I would go into your heart,
To spell out in the evening the flaming letters
Of my victorious name!

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,5 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 by Emily Ezust
Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:
Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
from the LiederNet Archive
For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.
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Based on:

a text in French (Français) by Paul Collin (1845 - 1915), "Ariette", written 1874, appears in Glas et Carillons, Poésies, in 2. Poésies diverses, Paris, Éd. Hachette & Lemerre, first published 1874
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This text was added to the website: 2012-12-02
Line count: 20
Word count: 150