Villanelle
C. Saint-Saëns
Quand viendra la saison nouvelle,
When the new season comes,
Quand auront disparu les froids,
When the cold has gone,
Tous les deux, nous irons, ma belle,
We two will go, my sweet,
Pour cueillir le muguet au bois;
To gather lilies-of-the-valley in the woods;
Sous nos pieds égrenant les perles
Scattering as we tread the pearls of dew
Que l'on voit, au matin trembler,
We see quivering each morn,
Nous irons écouter les merles
We'll go and hear the blackbirds
Siffler.
Sing!
Le printemps est venu, ma belle;
Spring has come, my sweet;
C'est le mois des amants béni;
It is the season lovers bless,
Et l'oiseau, satinant son aile,
And the birds, preening their wings,
Dit des vers au rebord du nid.
Sing songs from the edge of their nests.
Oh! viens donc sur le banc de mousse
Ah! Come, then, to this mossy bank
Pour parler de nos beaux amours,
To talk of our beautiful love,
Et dis-moi de ta voix si douce:
And tell me in your gentle voice:
«Toujours!»
Forever!
Loin, bien loin égarant nos courses,
Far, far away we'll stray from our path,
Faisons fuir le lapin caché,
Startling the rabbit from his hiding-place
Et le daim au miroir des sources
And the deer reflected in the spring,
Admirant son grand bois penché;
Admiring his great lowered antlers;
Puis chez nous tout joyeux, tout aises,
Then home we'll go, serene and at ease,
En paniers, enlaçant nos doigts,
And entwining our fingers basket-like,
Revenons rapportant des fraises
We'll bring back home wild
Des bois.
Strawberries!
Le printemps est venu, ma belle;
Spring has come, my sweet;
C'est le mois des amants béni;
It is the season lovers bless,
Et l'oiseau, satinant son aile,
And the birds, preening their wings,
Dit des vers au rebord du nid.
Sing songs from the edge of their nests.
Oh! viens donc sur le banc de mousse
Ah! Come, then, to this mossy bank
Pour parler de nos beaux amours,
To talk of our beautiful love,
Et dis-moi de ta voix si douce:
And tell me in your gentle voice:
«Toujours!»
Forever!
Loin, bien loin égarant nos courses,
Far, far away we'll stray from our path,
Faisons fuir le lapin caché,
Startling the rabbit from his hiding-place
Et le daim au miroir des sources
And the deer reflected in the spring,
Admirant son grand bois penché;
Admiring his great lowered antlers;
Puis chez nous tout joyeux, tout aises,
Then home we'll go, serene and at ease,
En paniers, enlaçant nos doigts,
And entwining our fingers basket-like,
Revenons rapportant des fraises
We'll bring back home wild
Des bois.
Strawberries!
Loin, bien loin égarant nos courses,
Far, far away we'll stray from our path,
Faisons fuir le lapin caché,
Startling the rabbit from his hiding-place
Et le daim au miroir des sources
And the deer reflected in the spring,
Admirant son grand bois penché;
Admiring his great lowered antlers;
Puis chez nous tout joyeux, tout aises,
Then home we'll go, serene and at ease,
En paniers, enlaçant nos doigts,
And entwining our fingers basket-like,
Revenons rapportant des fraises
We'll bring back home wild
Des bois.
Strawberries!