Are you laughing? | Are you laughing? Or aren't you?

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by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)

Translation © by Peter Low

Riez‑vous ? Ne riez‑vous pas ?

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ?
Quand vous l'avez dit tout à l'heure,
Ce mot ! Vous l'avez dit si bas ! ...
Je n'ai pas compris, mais je pleure.
-- Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ?

Pitié ! votre bouche m'effleure.
Ce bruit ! Vous l'avez fait si bas !...
Si c'est un baiser, que je meure !
-- Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ?

Si c'est un baiser, que je meure !
Sur mon cou je sens votre bras ...
Vous m'avez baisé tout à l'heure !
Je n'ose y croire, mais je pleure.
-- Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ?

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 6 [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 Amédée Dutacq (1848 - 1929), "Riez-vous ? Ne riez-vous pas ?", published 1895 [ medium voice and piano ], from En aimant, douze poésies d'Armand Silvestre, no. 4, Paris, Éd. E. Fromont [sung text not yet checked]
by Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912), "Riez-vous", op. 14 no. 4 [ voice and piano ], from Poème d'avril, no. 4, also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
by Gaston Serpette (1846 - 1904), "Riez-vous ?", <<1877 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Jules Massenet.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]

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

ENG English (Peter Low) , "Are you laughing?", copyright © 2002, (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: 82

Are you laughing?

Language: English after the French (Français)

Are you laughing? Or aren't you?
When just now you said
that word - you spoke so softly -
I didn't understand, but I'm in tears.
Are you laughing? Or aren't you?

Have pity! Your lips brush against me;
that noise - you made it so softly -
if it's a kiss, oh may I die!
Are you laughing? Or aren't you?

If it's a kiss, oh may I die!
I feel your arm on my neck...
You kissed me a moment ago!
I don't dare believe it, but I'm in tears.
Are you laughing? Or aren't you?

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

a text in French (Français) by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), no title, appears in Poésies 1861-1874, in 1. Les amours, in 2. Vers pour être chantés, in Mignonne, no. 6
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 94