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

La Marguerite
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
En mon ame n'est ecrite
La Rose, ni autre fleur ;
C'est toy, belle Marguerite,
Par qui j'ay cette couleur.

N'es-tu celle dont les yeux
  Ont surpris
Par un regard gracieux
  Mes espris ?
Puis que ta sœur de haut pris,
Ta sœur pucelle d'elite,
N'est cause de ma douleur,
C'est donc pour toy, Marguerite,
Que je pris ceste couleur.

Un soir ma fievre naquit,
  Quand mon cœur
Pour maistresse te requit :
  Mais Rigueur
D'une amoureuse langueur
Soudain paya mon merite,
Me donnant ceste paleur
Pour t'aimer trop, Marguerite,
Et ta vermeille couleur.

Hé ! quel charme pourroit bien
  Consumer
Le souci qui s'est fait mien
  Pour aimer ?
De mon tourment si amer
La jouissance subite
Seule outeroit le malheur
Que me donna Marguerite
Par qui j'ay cette couleur.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

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

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


Researcher for this page: David Wyatt

This text was added to the website: 2014-01-15
Line count: 31
Word count: 126

Daisy
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
In my soul is engraved
No rose, nor other flower ;
It's you, fair Daisy,
For whom I am this colour.

Aren't you she whose eyes
  Surprised
With a gracious glance
  My heart?
Since your sister, highly-prized,
Your sister, chosen maid,
Is not the cause of my sadness,
It's for you, Daisy,
That I acquired this colour.

One eve my fever began
  When my heart
Begged you as mistress;
  But Severity
With a lover's carelessness
Suddenly gave me my reward,
Giving me this paleness
From loving you too much, Daisy,
And your rosy colour.

Ah, what charm could indeed
  Consume
The worry which has become mine
  Over love?
From my bitter torment
Sudden joy
Alone can remove the misfortune
Which I get from Daisy
From whom I have this colour.

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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This text was added to the website: 2014-01-15
Line count: 31
Word count: 129