by
Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926)
Language: French (Français)
Sur la mer qui brame
Le bateau partit,
Tout seul, tout petit,
Sans voile, à la rame.
Si nous chavirons
Plus ne reviendrons
Sur les avirons
Tirons !
La mer est méchante ;
Mais l'homme joyeux
N'a pas froid aux yeux.
Elle gueule. Il chante.
Si nous chavirons,
Nous le sentirons
Sur les avirons
Tirons !
Sur la mer qui rage
Le bateau dansa.
Nous connaissons ça,
Et bren pour l'orage !
Point ne chavirons.
Nous en reviendrons.
Sur les avirons
Tirons !
Sur la mer qui roule
Et vomit l'embrun
Le ciel lourd et brun
En trombe s'écroule.
Si nous ne virons,
Nous y périrons.
Sur les avirons
Tirons !
...
...
...
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,7-10 of the original text.
Composition:
Text Authorship:
- by Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "En ramant", written 1886, appears in La Mer, in 5. Les gas, no. 2, Paris, Maurice Dreyfous, first published 1886
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "While rowing", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Peter Low
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2008-07-13
Line count: 40
Word count: 132
Language: English after the French (Français)
On the wailing sea
the boat sets off,
alone and very small,
with no sail, just with oars.
If we capsize,
we won't return.
Pull, let's pull on the oars!
The sea is wicked;
but the joyful man
is not chicken-hearted.
She yells. He sings.
If we capsize,
we will suffer.
Pull, let's pull on the oars!
On the raging sea
the boat dances.
We're familiar with that,
to hell with the storm!
We won't capsize.
We will survive.
Pull, let's pull on the oars!
On the sea that rolls
and vomits spray,
the heavy dark sky
descends in a waterspout.
If we don't change direction
we will perish.
Pull, let's pull on the oars!
...
...
...
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-4,7-10 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2025 by Peter Low, (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 Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "En ramant", written 1886, appears in La Mer, in 5. Les gas, no. 2, Paris, Maurice Dreyfous, first published 1886
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2025-09-08
Line count: 35
Word count: 146
