Text & Translation
Madrigal: Celle que j'aime a be beauté
French source:
Edmond Haraucourt
Plus que Flore et plus que Pomone,
Et je sais pour l’avoir chanté
Que sa bouche est le soir d’automne,
Et son regard la nuit d’été.
Pour marraine elle eut Astarté,
Pour patronne elle a la madone,
Car elle est belle autant que bonne,
Celle que j’aime!
Elle écoute, rit, et pardonne,
N’écoutant que par charité:
Elle écoute, mais sa fierté
N’écoute, ni moi ni personne
Et rien encore n’a tenté
Celle que j’aime!
Madrigal: She whom I love has more beauty
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Than Flora and Pomona,
And I know, for having sung it,
That her mouth is an autumn evening
And her gaze a summer night.
Astarte was her godmother,
The Madonna her patroness,
For she whom I love
Is as lovely as she is good.
She listens, laughs and forgives,
Listening only from charity:
She listens, but her pride
Listens neither to me nor anyone,
And nothing yet has tempted
She whom I love.
Madrigal: Celle que j'aime a be beauté
French source:
Edmond Haraucourt
Madrigal: She whom I love has more beauty
English source:
Richard Stokes
Celle que j’aime a de beauté
She whom I love has more beauty
Plus que Flore et plus que Pomone,
Than Flora and Pomona,
Et je sais pour l’avoir chanté
And I know, for having sung it,
Que sa bouche est le soir d’automne,
That her mouth is an autumn evening
Et son regard la nuit d’été.
And her gaze a summer night.
Pour marraine elle eut Astarté,
Astarte was her godmother,
Pour patronne elle a la madone,
The Madonna her patroness,
Car elle est belle autant que bonne,
For she whom I love
Celle que j’aime!
Is as lovely as she is good.
Elle écoute, rit, et pardonne,
She listens, laughs and forgives,
N’écoutant que par charité:
Listening only from charity:
Elle écoute, mais sa fierté
She listens, but her pride
N’écoute, ni moi ni personne
Listens neither to me nor anyone,
Et rien encore n’a tenté
And nothing yet has tempted
Celle que j’aime!
She whom I love.
Composer
Gabriel Fauré
"Gabriel Urbain Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers. Among his…
