S'il est un charmant gazon
Que le ciel arrose,
Où brule toute saison
Quelque fleur éclose,
Où l'on cueille à pleine main
Lys, chèvrefeuille et jasmin,
J'en veux faire le chemin
Où ton pied se pose!
S'il est un sein bien aimant
Dont l'honneur dispose,
Dont le ferme dévouement
N'ait rien de morose,
Si toujours ce noble sein
Bat pour un digne dessein,
J'en veux faire le coussin
Où ton front se pose!
S'il est un rêve d'amour
Parfumé de rose,
Où l'on trouve chaque jour
Quelque douce chose,
Un rêve que Dieu bénit,
Où l'âme à l'âme s'unit,
Oh! j'en veux faire le nid
Où ton cœur se pose!
1Liszt omitted middle verse
Should there be a charming lawn
which is watered by heaven,
where all season
some opened flower burns,
where one gathers lily, honeysuckle
and jasmine, in full bunches,
I wish to make of it the path
where your foot treads!
Should there be a loving good
which is possessed by honour,
whose firm devotion
has nothing morose about it,
if this noble breast still
beats for a worthy design,
I wish to make of it the cushion
where your brow is rested!
Should there be a dream of love
perfumed with rose,
where one finds each day
some gentle thing,
a dream blessed by God,
where souls unite,
oh, I wish to make of it the nest
where your heart settles!
© translated by Christopher Goldsack
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