LA FLEUR QUE TU M’AVAIS JETÉE (FLOWER SONG)
| Don José La fleur que tu m’avais jetée dans ma prison m’était restée, flétrie et sèche, cette fleur gardait toujours sa douce odeur; et pendant des heures entières, sur mes yeux, fermant mes paupières, de cette odeur je m’enivrais et dans la nuit je te voyais! Je me prenais à te maudire, à te détester, à me dire: pourquoi faut-il que le destin l’ait mise là sur mon chemin! Puis je m’accusais de blasphème, et je ne sentais en moi-même, je ne sentais qu’un seul désir, un seul désir, un seul espoir: te revoir, ô Carmen, oui, te revoir! Car tu n’avais eu qu’à paraître, qu’à jeter un regard sur moi, pour t’emparer de tout mon être, ô ma Carmen! Et j’étais une chose à toi! Carmen, je t’aime! |
Don José In prison I kept lovingly The flower you had thrown at me. Though it had faded and turned dry, It still smelled sweet as time went by; And I would put that special flower On my closed eyes, hour after hour. Drunk with that fragrance, I felt light, And there I saw you in the night! At times I would begin to hate you, To curse you and to execrate you, To say: why did it have to be That fate brought her so close to me! Then I thought that faith had defied me, And I only felt deep inside me, I only felt but one desire, But one desire, one hope, one yen, To see you, Carmen, yes, see you again! For all you needed was to be there, To throw a fleeting glance my way, To have full mastery of me there, Oh, Carmen, dear! And all you did with me was play! Carmen, I love you! |
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| Carmen Oui! Là-bas, là-bas dans la montagne! là-bas, là-bas tu me suivrais! Sur ton cheval tu me prendrais, et comme un brave à travers la campagne, en croupe, tu m’emporterais! Là-bas, là-bas dans la montagne, là-bas, là-bas tu me suivrais! tu me suivrais, si tu m’aimais! Tu n’y dépendrais de personne; point d’officier à qui tu doives obéir, et point de retraite qui sonne pour dire à l’amoureux qu’il est temps de partir! Le ciel ouvert, la vie errante, pour pays l’univers, et pour loi ta volonté! Et surtout la chose enivrante: la liberté! la liberté! |
Carmen There, into the mountains you would follow, Yes, over there you’d follow me! On your horse you’d put me astride, And like a brave man over hill and hollow, Behind you, you would make me ride! Into the mountains you would follow, Yes, over there you’d follow me! You’d follow me if you loved me! Your freedom there would be unbounded, There’d be no officer that you’d have to obey, And no, no retreat would be sounded To tell the lover that it’s time to go away! The roaming life, the sky inviting, Your will is the law, home’s as wide as you can see! And what’s best, what makes it exciting, Is being free! Is being free! |
Translation © 2004 by Jacob Lubliner
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