by Pierre de Ronsard (1524 - 1585)
Translation © by David Wyatt

Pour boire dessus l'herbe tendre
 (Sung text for setting by L. Gouvy)
 See original
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG GER
Pour boire dessus l'herbe tendre
Je veux sous un laurier m'étendre,
Et veux qu'Amour, d'un petit brin
Ou de lin ou de chènevière
Relève sa robe légère,
Et gaiment me verse du vin.

La vie incertaine de l'homme
De jour en jour se roule comme
Aux rives se roulent les flots :
Puis après notre heure dernière
Rien ne nous reste en la bière
Que la poussière de nos os.

Je  ...  veux, selon la coutume,
Que d'encens ma tombe on parfume,
Ni qu'on y verse des odeurs ;
Mais tandis que je suis envie,
J'ai de me parfumer envie,
Et de me couronner de fleurs,

Qu'on verse des odeurs !
Qu'on me qouronne de fleurs !

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Louis Théodore Gouvy (1819 - 1898), "Pour boire dessus l'herbe tendre", op. 43 no. 3, published 1876, stanzas 1-3 [ voice and piano ], from 40 Poèmes de Ronsard, no. 39, Paris, Éd Simon Richault

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • ENG English (David Wyatt) , "To drink upon the tender grass", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • GER German (Deutsch) (Linda Godry) (Heide Wiesner) , "Ein Glas auf weichem Gras zu trinken", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2011-06-03
Line count: 24
Word count: 147

To drink upon the tender grass
 (Sung text translation for setting by L. Gouvy)
 See original
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
To drink upon the tender grass
I'd like to stretch out under a laurel,
And I'd like Love to tie, with a strand
Of linen or of hemp,
Her light dress at her side
And, half-naked, pour me wine.

The uncertain life of man
Unfolds from day to day like
Waves rolling onto the riverbanks;
Then, after our final hour, 
Nothing of us remains in the coffin
But an old frame of bones.

I do not wish, as is the custom, 
That they perfume my tomb with incense,
Nor pour out sweet-smelling oil on it,
But so long as I am alive
I would like to be perfumed
And indeed crowned with flowers.

 ...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3 of the original text.

Translator's note for stanza 4 lines 4-5: the 'pelican in her piety', who wounds her own breast to feed her little ones, is a standard medieval image of Christ bleeding for his earthly children. Ronsard is continuing here his theme of disrespect for society's norms.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 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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This text was added to the website: 2012-07-25
Line count: 24
Word count: 154