by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Translation © by Linda Godry

Air léger
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG GER
Tu te plais, enfant de Cythere. 
A faire acheter tes douceurs, 
L'amant que tu veux satisfaire.
N'est point exempt de tes rigueurs!

Pour etre heureux dans ton empire,
Il faut qu'il en coute des pleurs.
Plus unfidele amant soupire,
Mieux il connait le prix de tes faveurs.

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):

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • GER German (Deutsch) (Linda Godry) , title 1: "Unbeschwertes Lied", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Linda Godry) , title 1: "Careless song", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Scott Mello

This text was added to the website: 2008-04-18
Line count: 8
Word count: 47

Careless song
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
Doesn't it bother you, child of  Aphrodite
To make your lover, whom you claim to favour
pay for those very favours?
You seem to revel in your stern righteousness!

In order to be happy in your empire,
One needs to shed bitter tears.
As much as the unfaithful lover sighs,
He knows but too well the price to pay for your favours.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2008 by Linda Godry, (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: 2008-06-02
Line count: 8
Word count: 62