Songs

vi. Changeons propos

by Georges Enescu From Sept chansons de Clément Marot Op. 15

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Text & Translation

vi. Changeons propos
French source: Clément Marot

Changeons propos, c’est trop chanté d’amours
Ce sont clamours, chantons de la serpette:
Tous vignerons ont à elle recours,
C’est leur secours pour tailler la vignette;
Ô serpillette, ô la serpillonnette,
La vignollette est par toy mise sus,
Dont les bons vins tous les ans sont yssus!

Le diey Vulcain, forgeron des haultz dieux,
Forgea aux cieulx la serpe bien taillante,
De fin acier trempé en bon vin vieulx,
Pour tailler mieulx et estre plus vaillante.
Bacchus la vante, et dit qu’elle est seante
Et convenante à Noé le bon hom
Pour en tailler la vigne en la saison.

Bacchus alors chappeau de treille avoit,
Et arrivoit pour benistre la vigne;
Avec flascons Silenus le suyvoit,
Lequel beuvoit aussi droict qu’une ligne;
Puis il trepigne, et se faict une bigne;
Comme une guigne estoit rouge son nez;
Beaucoup de gens de sa race sont nez.

Let's change the subject
English translation © Richard Stokes

Let's change the subject, enough of lauding love.
Cacophony! Sing instead of the pruning-knife:
All vine-growers use it
To help them cut the young vines;
O tiny little pruning-knife,
You trim the little vines
That yield good wine each year.

The god Vulcan, blacksmith to the high gods,
Forged in heaven the sharp blade
Of fine steel, tempered in choice old wine,
To dress the vines more valiantly.
Bacchus sings its praises, and says that it is right
And proper for good old Noah
To trim the vine with it in due season.

Bacchus in those days wore a vine-leaf hat
And would arrive to bless the vineyard;
Silenus followed, bearing flagons,
And drank as straight as a line;
Then he would dance and bruise himself;
His nose was as red as a cherry;
Many are those descended from his race.

vi. Changeons propos
French source: Clément Marot

Let's change the subject
English source: Richard Stokes

Changeons propos, c’est trop chanté d’amours
Let's change the subject, enough of lauding love.
Ce sont clamours, chantons de la serpette:
Cacophony! Sing instead of the pruning-knife:
Tous vignerons ont à elle recours,
All vine-growers use it
C’est leur secours pour tailler la vignette;
To help them cut the young vines;
Ô serpillette, ô la serpillonnette,
O tiny little pruning-knife,
La vignollette est par toy mise sus,
You trim the little vines
Dont les bons vins tous les ans sont yssus!
That yield good wine each year.

Le diey Vulcain, forgeron des haultz dieux,
The god Vulcan, blacksmith to the high gods,
Forgea aux cieulx la serpe bien taillante,
Forged in heaven the sharp blade
De fin acier trempé en bon vin vieulx,
Of fine steel, tempered in choice old wine,
Pour tailler mieulx et estre plus vaillante.
To dress the vines more valiantly.
Bacchus la vante, et dit qu’elle est seante
Bacchus sings its praises, and says that it is right
Et convenante à Noé le bon hom
And proper for good old Noah
Pour en tailler la vigne en la saison.
To trim the vine with it in due season.

Bacchus alors chappeau de treille avoit,
Bacchus in those days wore a vine-leaf hat
Et arrivoit pour benistre la vigne;
And would arrive to bless the vineyard;
Avec flascons Silenus le suyvoit,
Silenus followed, bearing flagons,
Lequel beuvoit aussi droict qu’une ligne;
And drank as straight as a line;
Puis il trepigne, et se faict une bigne;
Then he would dance and bruise himself;
Comme une guigne estoit rouge son nez;
His nose was as red as a cherry;
Beaucoup de gens de sa race sont nez.
Many are those descended from his race.

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