Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
La belle Rose à Venus consacrée L'oeil & le Sens de grand plaisir pourvoit; Si vous diray Dame qui tant m'agrée Raison pourquoy de rouges on en voit. Ung jour Venus son Adonis suyvoit Parmy Jardins pleins d'Espines & Branches, Les Piedz tous nudz & les deux Bras sans manches, Dont d'ung Rosier l'Espine luy mesfeit. Or estoient lors toutes les Roses blanches, Mais de son sang de vermeilles en feit. De ceste Rose ay ja faict mon proffit Vous estrenant, car plus qu'à aultre chose Vostre Visage en doulceur tout confict Semble à la fresche & vermeillete Rose.
Authorship:
- by Clément Marot (1496 - 1544) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by George Enescu (1881 - 1955), "Estrene de la rose", from Sept Chansons de Clément Marot, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "The Gift of the Rose", copyright © 2001, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 99
The fair rose, the flower of Venus, is a pleasure to see and to smell. And I will tell you, lady, the reason why roses are red. Venus one day was following Adonis with bare feet and uncovered arms through gardens full of thorns and branches, when the thorn of a rose-bush scratched her. At that time all roses were white, but her blood made some of them crimson. Now I've made good use of this rose as a gift to you, because your face, which is utterly gentle and sweet, resembles more than anything a fresh red rose.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2001 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.
Contact:
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Clément Marot (1496 - 1544)
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 100