I do confess thou art sae fair, I wad been o'er the lugs in luve; Had I na found, the slightest prayer That lips could speak, thy heart could muve. I do confess thee sweet, but find Thou art sae thriftless o' thy sweets, Thy favors are the silly wind That kisseth ilka thing it meets. See yonder rose-bud, rich in dew, Amang its native briers sae coy, How sune it tines its scent and hue, When pu'd and worn a common toy! Sic fate ere lang shall thee betide, Tho' thou may gayly bloom a while, Yet sune thou shalt be thrown aside, Like ony common weed and vile.
Authorship
- by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "I do confess thou art sae fair" [author's text checked 1 time 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 (Franz) Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809), "I do confess thou art sae fair", Hob. XXXIa no. 110, JHW. XXXII/2 no. 110 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Já přiznávám, že krásná jsi"
- FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "Je confesse que tu es si belle", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 110
Já přiznávám, že krásná jsi a za tvou lásku řek' bych dík, však vím, že kdo se přihlásí, tvým srdcem pohne v okamžik. Já přiznávám, že's čarovná, však nešetříš tím kouzlem vnad, ba, větru nejsi nerovna, jenž líbá všecko na pořád. Viz růžové to poupátko, jak vlahne rosou list a stvol, však zvadne, zchřadne za krátko, když utrhne je, kdo jde kol. Týž osud čeká v blízký den tvůj květ, ač sličný, peřestý, a brzo bude odhozen jak všední bejlí u cesty.
Confirmed with BURNS, Robert. Výbor z písní a ballad, translated by Josef Václav Sládek, Praha: J. Otto, 1892.
Authorship
- by Josef Václav Sládek (1845 - 1912), "Já přiznávám, že krásná jsi" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
- a text in Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), "I do confess thou art sae fair"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive)
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Andrew Schneider [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-08-11
Line count: 16
Word count: 82