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Quand vous vouldrez faire une Amye, Prenez la de belle grandeur, En son Esprit non endormie, Et son Tetin bonne rondeur, Doulceur En cueur, Langage Bien sage, Dansant, chantant par bons accords, Et ferme de Cueur, et de Corps. Si vous la prenez trop jeunette, Vous en aurez peu d'entretien: Pour durer prenez la brunette En bon point, d'asseuré maintien. Tel bien Vault bien Qu'on fasse La Chasse Du plaisant Gibier amoureux: Qui prend telle Proye, est heureux.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Les œuvres de Clément Marot, Lyon: G. Roville, 1547, pages 383-384.
Modernized spelling used by Tiersot:
Quand vous voudrez faire une amie, Prenez-la de belle grandeur, En son esprit non endormie, En ses appâts, bonne rondeur; Douceur En cœur, Langage Bien sage, Dansant, chantant par bons accords Et ferme de cœur et de corps. Si vous la prenez trop jeunette, Vous en aurez peu d'entretien. Pour durer, prenez la brunette, En bon point, d'assuré maintien. Tel bien Vaut bien Qu'on fasse La chasse Du plaisant gibier amoureux: Qui prend telle proie est heureux.
Text Authorship:
- by Clément Marot (1496 - 1544), no title, appears in L'adolescence Clémentine, in Chansons, no. 24 [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 Claude Delvincourt (1888 - 1954), "Quand vous voudrez faire une amye", 1936, published 1937 [ high voice and piano ], from Quatre chansons de Clément Marot, no. 1, Éd. Durand [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jean Françaix (1912 - 1997), "Chanson", 1947, published 1950 [ high voice and guitar or piano ], Éd. Schott & Co [sung text not yet checked]
- by Julien Tiersot (1857 - 1936), "Deux chansons de Clément Marot sur le même air (XVIe Siècle), 1o. Chanson XXIV" [ medium voice and piano ], from Chants de la vieille France: 20 mélodies et chansons du XIIIè au XVIIIè siècles, no. 10a, Éd. 'Au Ménestrel' Heugel ; based on a melody by Jacques d'Arcadelt [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2016-12-20
Line count: 20
Word count: 78
When you wish to make a lady friend, Choose one of good stature, Not indolent of spirit, And her bosom well rounded, Gentleness In her heart, Speech Most prudent, Dancing and singing with good harmony, And sound of heart and body. If you choose one who is too young, You will get little conversation from her: To make it last, choose a brunette In good health, of confident manner. Such a treasure Is well worth Going on The hunt For this comely, loving quarry: Happy is he who captures such prey.
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Chanson" = "Song"
"Deux chansons de Clément Marot sur le même air (XVIe Siècle), 1o. Chanson XXIV" = "Two Songs of Clément Marot on the Same Tune (16th Century), I: Chanson XXIV"
"Quand vous voudrez faire une amye" = "When you wish to make a lady friend"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Old French (Ancien français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (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 Old French (Ancien français) by Clément Marot (1496 - 1544), no title, appears in L'adolescence Clémentine, in Chansons, no. 24
This text was added to the website: 2026-03-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 91