When my mistress was born into the world | When my mistress was born into the world

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by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)

Translation © by David Wyatt

Quand ma maitresse au monde print naissance

(Sung text for setting by J. de Maletty)

See original

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Quand ma maitresse au monde print naissance, 
Honneur, Vertu, Grace, Savoir, Beauté 
Eurent debat avec la Chasteté 
Qui plus auroit sur elle de puissance. 

L'une vouloit en avoir joüyssance, 
L'autre vouloit l'avoir de son costé, 
Et le debat immortel eust esté 
Sans Jupiter, qui fist fair silence. 

Filles, dit-il, ce n'est pas la raison 
Qu'une pour elle ait toute la maison 
Pour-ce je veus qu'apointement on face: 

L'accord fut fait: et plus soudainement 
Qu'il ne l'eut dit, toutes également 
En son beau cors pour jamais eurent place.

Composition:

Jean de Maletty

Text Authorship:

by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), no title, appears in Continuation des Amours, no. 34, first published 1555

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (David Wyatt) , "When my mistress was born into the world", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: David Wyatt

This text was added to the website: 2010-10-28
Line count: 14
Word count: 91

When my mistress was born into the world

(Sung text translation for setting by J. de Maletty)

See original

Language: English after the French (Français)

When my mistress was born into the world,
Honour, Virtue, Grace, Knowledge and Beauty
Debated with Chastity
Who should have the greatest power over her.

One wanted to enjoy her,
Another to have her by her side,
And the debate would have lasted for ever
Without Jupiter, who imposed silence on them.

My daughters, he said, there is no reason
That one of you should for her keep the whole house
For this reason I want you to face your disappointment.

The agreement was made, and even more suddenly
Than he had said it, everyone equally
Had their place in her fair body for ever.

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), no title, appears in Continuation des Amours, no. 34, first published 1555
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This text was added to the website: 2012-07-25
Line count: 14
Word count: 107