by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873)

When that I was and a little tiny boy
Language: English 
Available translation(s): CAT
When that I was and a little tiny boy,
[With]1 hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
A foolish thing was but a toy,
For the rain it raineth every day.

But when I came to man's estate,
[With]1 hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
'Gainst knaves and thieves men shut their gate,
For the rain it raineth every day.

[ But when I came, alas! to wive,
[With]1 hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
By swaggering could I never thrive,
For the rain it raineth every day.]2

[ But when I came unto my beds,
With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
With toss-pots still had drunken heads,
For the rain it raineth every day.]3

A great while ago the world [begun]4,
[With]1 hey, ho, the wind and the rain,
But that's all one, our play is done,
And we'll strive to please you every day.

About the headline (FAQ)

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Amram: "With a"
2 Omitted by Amram.
3 set only by Baxter.
4 Amram: "began"

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:

  • Also set in Bulgarian (Български), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Pančo Haralanov Vladigerov.
  • Also set in Danish (Dansk), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist , no title ; composed by Peter Arnold Heise.
  • Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by August Wilhelm Schlegel (1767 - 1845) , no title ; composed by Paul Angerer, Walter Braunfels, Wilhelm Killmayer, Wilhelm Petersen, Robert Schumann.
  • Also set in Norwegian (Bokmål), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Catharinus Elling.
  • Also set in Russian (Русский), a translation by Mikhail Leonidovich Lozinsky (1886 - 1955) ; composed by Georgiy Vasil'yevich Sviridov.
  • Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Carl August Hagberg (1810 - 1864) ; composed by Jean Sibelius.

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


Researcher for this text: Ted Perry

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 20
Word count: 150

Quand j'étais un tout petit garçon
Language: French (Français)  after the English 
Quand j'étais un tout petit garçon,
Par le vent, la pluie, hé ! ho !
Une folie n'était qu'enfantillage,
Car il pleut de la pluie tous les jours.

Mais quand je vins à l'état d'homme,
Par le vent, la pluie, hé ! ho !
Contre filou et voleur chacun fermait sa porte,
Car il pleut de la pluie tous les jours.

Mais quand je vins, hélas ! à prendre femme,
Par le vent, la pluie, hé ! ho !
Jamais dissipation ne put me réussir,
Car il pleut de la pluie tous les jours.

Mais quand je venais à mon lit,
Par le vent, la pluie, hé ! ho !
Avec des buveurs toujours je m'étais soûlé,
Car il pleut de la pluie tous les jours.

Jà dès longtemps le monde a commencé,
Par le vent, la pluie, hé ! ho !
Mais peu importe ! notre pièce est finie,
Et nous tâcherons de vous plaire tous les jours.

About the headline (FAQ)

Le titre de Schuamnn: "Chant final du bouffon"

Authorship:

Based on:

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

    [ None yet in the database ]


Researcher for this text: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2010-10-25
Line count: 20
Word count: 159