I stooped down in my garden | I stooped down in my garden

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by Amy Sylvel ( flourished 1930s )

Translation © by Iain Sneddon

Je descendis dans mon jardin

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Je descendis dans mon jardin,
Pour y cueillir du romarin;
Etait il tard ou bien matin?
Je ne sais plus; je ne sais rien.

N’en avais pas cueilli trois brins,
Que tu parus dans le chemin;
Etait il tard ou bien matin?
Je ne sais plus; je ne sais rien.

Tu m’as demandé ce butin;
Je te l’ai donné, mais en vain;
Etait il tard ou bien matin?
Je ne sais plus; je ne sais rien.

Adieu, douceur furtive et rare...
Etait ce un mal? était ce un bien?
Fallait il se montrer avare?
Je ne sais plus; je ne sais rien.

Text Authorship:

by Amy Sylvel ( flourished 1930s ) [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 Francis George Scott (1880 - 1958), "Je descendis dans mon jardin ", 1931, published 1949 [ voice and piano ], from 35 Scottish Lyrics and other Poems, no. 34, Bayley & Ferguson for The Saltire Society, Glasgow, page 131 [sung text checked 1 time]

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

ENG English (Iain Sneddon) , "I stooped down in my garden", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Iain Sneddon [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2019-06-17
Line count: 16
Word count: 102

I stooped down in my garden

Language: English after the French (Français)

I stooped down in my garden,
To pick rosemary;
Was it late or still morning?
I no longer know, I know nothing.

I had not cut three sprigs
When you appeared on the path;
Was it late or still morning?
I no longer know, I know nothing.

You asked me for this treasure;
I gave it to you, but in vain;
Was it late or still morning?
I no longer know, I know nothing.

Farewell, rare and elusive sweetness...
Was this bad, was it good?
Why was he so greedy?
I no longer know, I know nothing.

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 by Iain Sneddon, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in French (Français) by Amy Sylvel ( flourished 1930s )
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2019-06-17
Line count: 16
Word count: 97