Si tu demandes, quelque soir,
Le secret de mon cœur malade,
Je te dirai, pour t'émouvoir,
Une très ancienne ballade.
Si tu me parles de tourments,
D'espérance désabusée,
J'irai te cueillir, seulement,
Des roses pleines de rosée.
Si, pareille à la fleur des morts
Qui fleurit dans l'exil des tombes,
Tu veux partager mes remords...
Je t'apporterai des colombes.
Composition:
Set to music by Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924), "Les Présents", op. 46 no. 1 (1886), published 1888 [ medium voice and piano ], Éditions J. Hamelle
Text Authorship:
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , "Els presents", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Emily Ezust) , "Presents", copyright © 2003
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 67
If some evening you ask
The secret of my sick heart,
To move you, I will recount
A very ancient ballad.
If you speak to me of torments,
Of disillusioned hope,
Solely for you, I will gather
Roses filled with dew.
Like flowers for the dead
That blossom in exile among the graves,
You wish to share my remorse...
I will bring you some doves.
