Heaven does not wish me, Lady, to enjoy

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by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)

Translation © by David Wyatt

Le ciel ne veut, Dame, que joüisse

(Sung text for setting by A. Bertrand)

See original

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Le ciel ne veut, Dame, que je jouysse
De ce doux bien que dessert mon devoir ;
Aussi ne veu-je, et ne me plaist d'avoir
Sinon du mal en vous faisant service.

Puisqu'il vous plaist que pour vous je languisse,
Je suis heureux, et ne puis recevoir
Plus grand honneur, qu'en trespassant me voir
Faire à voz yeux de mon cœur sacrifice.

Donc si ma main, maugré moi, quelque fois
De l'amour chaste outrepasse les Loix,
Dans vostre sein cherchant ce qui m'embraise,

Punisses-la d'un seul trait de vos yeux,
Et la brules : car j'ayme beaucoup mieux
Vivre sans main, que ma main vous déplaise.

Composition:

Anthoine de Bertrand

Les Amours de Pierre de Ronsard à 4 parties, Livre 1

Text Authorship:

by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585), no title

See other settings of this text.

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

ENG English (David Wyatt) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2010-03-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 108

Heaven does not wish me, Lady, to enjoy

(Sung text translation for setting by A. Bertrand)

See original

Language: English after the French (Français)

Heaven does not wish me, Lady, to enjoy
This sweet goodness to which my efforts minister;
I too do not wish it, and yet it pleases me to have
instead some ill in doing you service.

Since it pleases you that I pine for you
I am glad, and cannot receive
Any greater honour  than to be seen, dying,
To make sacrifice of my heart to your eyes.

So if my hand despite myself sometimes
Goes further than the chaste laws of love allow
Seeking in your breast that which enflames me,

Punish it with one blow from your eyes
And burn it; for I far prefer
To live without a hand, than that my hand should displease.

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Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2014 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
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This text was added to the website: 2014-10-25
Line count: 14
Word count: 119