by Anne Hunter (1742 - 1821)
Translation © by Guy Laffaille

A pastoral song
Language: English 
Our translations:  DUT FRE
My mother bids me bind my hair
With bands of rosy hue,
Tie up my sleeves with ribbons rare,
And lace my bodice blue.

For why, she cries, sit still and weep,
While others dance and play?
Alas! I scarce can go or creep,
While Lubin is away.

'Tis sad to think the days are gone,
When those we love were near;
I sit upon this mossy stone,
And sigh when none can hear.

And while I spin my flaxen thread,
And sing my simple lay,
The village seems asleep, or dead,
Now Lubin is away.

Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:

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

  • DUT Dutch (Nederlands) [singable] (Lau Kanen) , "Lied van een herderin", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Chant pastoral", copyright © 2008, (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: 16
Word count: 96

Chant pastoral
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Ma mère m'ordonne de nouer mes cheveux
Avec des bandeaux de couleur rose,
D'attacher mes manches avec des rubans rares,
Et de lacer mon corsage bleu ;

Car pourquoi, dit-elle, rester assise et pleurer,
Pendant que les autres dansent et jouent ?
Hélas ! Je peux à peine aller et me traîner,
Quand Lubin est au loin.

Il est triste de penser que les jours sont finis,
Où ceux que nous aimons étaient proches ;
Je suis assise sur cette pierre moussue,
Et soupire quand personne ne peut entendre.

Et pendant que je file mon fil de lin,
Et que je chante mon simple lai,
Le village semble endormi ou mort,
Maintenant que Lubin est au loin.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2008 by Guy Laffaille, (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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This text was added to the website: 2008-04-08
Line count: 16
Word count: 113