by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Maman, dites‑moi
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG
Maman, dites-moi ce qu'on sent quand on aime,
Est-ce plaisir, est-ce tourment ?
Je suis tout le jour dans une peine extrême,
Et la nuit je ne sais comment
Quel mal peut nous causer un amant ?
Si quelqu'un près de nous soupire?
Que faut-il lui dire ?
Un berger bien fait, plus beau que l'amour,
Vint d'un air discret me jurer l'autre jour
Qu'il m'aimait bien
Je ne dis rien, je ne dis rien,
Mais s'il revient encore m'en dire autant,
Que faire alors, maman ?
Que faire alors, maman ?
C'est le berger le plus parfait du village,
Tout ce qu'il dit, tout ce qu'il fait,
Est si séduisant, que sans peine on s'engage,
Tant il a de charmes, d'attraits.
Quel mal nous peut causer un amant ?
Si près de nous son cœur soupire,
Que faut-il lui dire ?
Ce berger charmant plus beau que l'amour,
D'un air bien discret m'a juré l'autre jour
Qu'il m'aimait bien.
Je ne dis rien, je ne dis rien
Mais s'il revient encore m'en dire autant
Que faire alors, maman ?
Que faire alors, maman ?
Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
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 (Peter Low) , "Mother, tell me", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust
[Administrator] , Laura Prichard
[Guest Editor] This text was added to the website: 2022-04-22
Line count: 28
Word count: 185
Mother, tell me
Language: English  after the French (Français)
Mother, tell me what one feels when one loves.
Is it pleasure? Is it torment?
All day long I'm in extreme pain,
and at night I'm in total confusion.
What hurt can a lover cause us?
If someone near to us sighs,
what should be said to him?
A well-built shepherd, more handsome than love
came discreetly the other day
and swore that he loved me well.
I said nothing, I said nothing.
But if he comes again and says the same,
what should I do then, mother?
what should I do?
He's the most perfect shepherd in the village.
Everything he says, everything he does,
is so seductive that one is easily drawn to him
by his many charms and attractions.
What hurt can a lover cause us?
If near to us he sighs and sighs,
what should be said to him?
This charming shepherd more beautiful than love
discreetly swore the other day
that he loved me well.
I said nothing, I said nothing.
But if he comes again and says the same,
what should I do then, mother?
what should I do?
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2022 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:
This text was added to the website: 2022-05-02
Line count: 28
Word count: 185