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Il faut, voyez-vous, nous pardonner les choses : De cette façon nous serons bien heureuses Et si notre vie a des instants moroses, Du moins nous serons, n'est-ce pas, deux pleureuses, O que nous mêlions, âmes sœurs que nous sommes, A nos vœux confus la douceur puérile De cheminer loin des femmes et des hommes, Dans le frais oubli de ce qui nous exile ! Soyons deux enfants, soyons deux jeunes filles Éprises de rien et de tout étonnées Qui s'en vont pâlir sous les chastes charmilles Sans même savoir qu'elles sont pardonnées.
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Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, appears in Romances sans paroles, in Ariettes oubliées, no. 4 [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 Nicolas Bacri (b. 1961), "Chanson triste", op. 149 no. 2 (2018-2019), published 2019, first performed 2020 [ vocal duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano with piano ], from De la douceur, deux chansons pour soprano, mezzo-soprano et piano, no. 2, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Leduc [sung text not yet checked]
- by John Bartlett (b. 1949), no title, 2025 [ voice and piano ], from Ariettes Oubliées, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Klaus Miehling (b. 1963), "Il faut, voyez-vous, nous pardonner", op. 53 no. 4 (1994), published 2005 [ voice and piano ], from Six Ariettes Oubliées nach Texten von Paul Verlaine, no. 4, Goldbach [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , copyright © 2021, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Stefan George) , no title, appears in Zeitgenössische Dichter, in Frankreich, in Paul Verlaine, in Aus: Lieder ohne Worte, in Vergessene Weisen, no. 4
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-01-04
Line count: 12
Word count: 91
We need forgiveness for things, you see, that's how we will be very happy, and if our lives have moments of gloom, at least we'll be sobbing women together, will we not? Sister souls that we are, I hope we can mix into our muddled vows the puerile sweetness of walking far away from women and men, having newly forgotten what exiles us. Let's be children, let's be two girls enamoured of nothing, astonished by everything, who grow pale under chaste arbours without even knowing they are forgiven.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2021 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.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, appears in Romances sans paroles, in Ariettes oubliées, no. 4
This text was added to the website: 2021-03-11
Line count: 12
Word count: 88