You used to tell me

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by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955)

Translation © by Grant Hicks

Pourquoi pleurez‑vous, jeunes filles qui vous mariez?

(Sung text for setting by R. Wertheim)

See original

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

 ... 

Pourquoi pleurez-vous, jeunes filles qui vous mariez ?
Vous épousez peut-être un homme au coeur fidèle,
un homme qui vous répètera sincèrement :
« Nous vieillirons ensemble... »

Note: the text above is taken from stanza 3 of the original text.

inspired by Li-Tai-Po

Composition:

Rosalie Marie Wertheim

La chanson déchirante

Donemus

Text Authorship:

by Franz Toussaint (1879 - 1955), "La chanson des têtes blanches", appears in La flûte de jade

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

ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

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: 2026-04-04
Line count: 20
Word count: 114

Why do you weep, you girls who are getting married?

(Sung text translation for setting by R. Wertheim)

See original

Language: English after the French (Français)

 ... 

Why do you weep, you girls who are getting married?
You may be marrying a man with a faithful heart,
a man who will tell you sincerely,
"We will grow old together..."

Note: the text above is taken from stanza 3 of the original text.

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), "La chanson des têtes blanches", appears in La flûte de jade
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Go to the general single-text view

This text was added to the website: 2026-04-21
Line count: 20
Word count: 127