by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)
Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Willie was a wanton wag
 (Sung text for setting by J. Haydn)
 See original
Language: Scottish (Scots) 
Our translations:  FRE
There was a lass, and she was fair !
At kirk and market to be seen
When a' our fairest maids were met,
The fairest maid was bonnie Jean.

And ay she wrought her mammie's wark,
And ay she sang sae merrilie :
The blythest bird upon the bush
Had ne'er a lighter heart than she.

But hawks will rob the tender joys,
That bliss the little lintwhite's nest,
And frost will blight the fairest flowers,
And love will break the soundest rest.

 ... 

He gaed wi' Jeanie to the tryste,
He danc'd wi' Jeanie on the down,
And, lang ere witless Jeanie wist,
Her heart was tint, her peace was stown!

As in the bosom of the stream
The moon-beam dwells at dewy e'en,
So trembling pure, was tender love
Within the breast of bonnie Jean.

 ... 

The sun was sinking in the west,
The birds sang sweet in ilka grove;
His cheek to her's he fondly laid,
And whisper'd thus his tale o' love.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,5-6,9 of the original text.

Glossary:
lintwhite's = linnet
brawest = most handsome
owsen = oxen
kye = cows
nagies = horses
wist = knew
tint = lost
stown = stolen
ilka = every
tent = care for

Composition:

    Set to music by (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "Willie was a wanton wag", Hob. XXXIa:4bis, JHW XXXII/3 no. 216, stanzas 1-3,5-6,9

Text Authorship:

  • by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "Bonnie Jean: A Ballad", title 2: "There was a lass"

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Kdys byla hezká dívčina"
  • FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Il y avait une fille", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2008-06-08
Line count: 48
Word count: 336

Language: French (Français)  after the Scottish (Scots) 
Il y avait une fille, et elle était belle !
À l'église et au marché pour être vues,
Quand toutes nos plus belles filles se rencontraient,
La plus belle fille était la belle Jean.

Et toujours elle faisait le travail de sa maman,
Et toujours elle chantait si joyeusement :
Le plus heureux des oiseaux sur son buisson
N'eut jamais le cœur plus léger qu'elle.

Mais les faucons ravissent les tendres joies,
Félicités du nid de la petite linotte,
Et le gel gâtera les plus belles fleurs,
Et l'amour brisera le repos le plus profond.

 ... 

Il alla à un rendez-vous avec Jeanie,
Il dansa avec Jeanie sur le pré,
Et, bien avant que l'écervelée Jeanie le sache,
Son cœur était pris, sa tranquillité volée !

Comme au cœur de la rivière
Nichent les rayons de lune, par les soirs humides,
Ainsi, tremblant et pur, était le tendre amour
Dans le sein de la belle Jean.

 ... 

Tandis que bien des oiseaux chantaient l'amour,
Et bien des fleurs fleurissaient le vallon,
Il posait souvent sa joue contre la sienne,
Et chuchotait ainsi sa tendre histoire :

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,5-6,9 of the original text.

J. Haydn a mis en musique les strophes 1-3, 5-6

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Scottish (Scots) to French (Français) copyright © 2014 by Pierre Mathé, (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:

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This text was added to the website: 2014-11-10
Line count: 48
Word count: 366