Si tu demandes, quelque soir,
Le secret de mon cœur malade,
Je te dirai, pour t'émouvoir,
Une très ancienne ballade.
Si tu me parles de tourment,
D'espérance désabusée,
J'irai te cueillir, seulement,
Des roses pleines de rosée.
Si, pareille à la fleur de morts
Qui fleurit dans l'exil des tombes,
Tu veux partager mes remords...
Je t'apporterai des colombes!
If, some evening, you ask for
the secret of my sick heart,
to delight you I shall tell you
a very ancient ballad.
If you speak to me of torment,
disillusioned hope,
alone, I shall go to gather
roses full of dew for you.
Should you, like the flower of the dead
which blooms in the exile of graves,
want to share my remorse...
I shall bring you doves!
© translated by Christopher Goldsack
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