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Je meurs de soif auprès de la fontaine, Chaud comme feu, et tremble dent à dent, En mon païs suis en terre lointaine ; Lez un brazier friçonne tout ardent ; Nu comme ung ver, vestu en president ; Je ris en pleurs, et attens sans espoir ; Confort reprens en triste desespoir ; Je m’esjouys et n’ay plaisir aucun ; Puissant je suis sans force et sans povoir, Bien recueilly, débouté de chascun. Rien ne m’est seur que la chose incertaine, Obscur, fors ce qui est tout évident ; Doubte ne fais, fors en chose certaine ; Science tiens à soudain accident ; Je gaigne tout, et demeure perdent ; Au point du jour, diz : « Dieu vous doint bon soir ! » Gisant envers, j’ay grant paour de cheoir ; J’ay bien de quoy, et si n’en ay pas un ; Eschoicte attens, et d’homme ne suis hoir, Bien recueilly, debouté de chascun. De riens n’ay soing, si metz toute ma paine D’acquerir biens, et n’y suis pretendant ; Qui mieulx medit, c’est cil qui plus m’attaine, Et qui plus vray, lors plus me va bourdant ; Mon ami est qui me fait entendant D’ung cygne blanc que c’est ung corbeau noir ; Et qui me nuyst, croy qu’il m’aide à povoir. Verité, bourde, aujourd’uy m’est tout un. Je retiens tout ; riens ne sçay concepvoir, Bien recueilly, debouté de chascun. L’ENVOI Prince clement, or vous plaise savoir Que j’entens moult et n’ay sens ne sçavoir ; Parcial suis, à toutes lois commun. Que fais-je plus ? Quoy ? Les gaiges ravoir, Bien recueilly, debouté de chascun.
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with Œuvres complètes de François Villon,
éd. préparée par La Monnoye, mise à jour, avec notes et glossaire par M. Pierre Jannet, Paris, A. Lemerre, 1876, pages 110-111, titled "Ballade Villon"
Authorship:
- by François Villon (1431 - 1463), title 1: "Ballade du concours de Blois", title 2: "Ballade Villon" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Terje Bjørn Lerstad (b. 1955), "Ballade du concours de Blois", op. 176B no. 10 (1985) [soprano and tenor or baritone and piano], from François Solaire, no. 10. [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Camillo Togni (1922 - 1993), "Je meurs de seuf", 1978, published 1996 [soprano and piano], from La Guirlande de Blois, no. 3, Milan, Éd. Suvini Zerboni [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Ballad: On the Examination at Blois", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-10-14
Line count: 36
Word count: 270
I’m dying of thirst next to the fountain, Hot as fire, but teeth chattering; In my own country, I’m in a faraway land; Near the open flame, I shiver uncontrolably; Nude as a worm, dressed like a president, I smile through tears and wait without hope; Taking comfort in sad desperation; I rejoice without a single pleasure; I’m powerful, but without force or persuasion, Well received, rejected by all. Nothing is sure for me except that which is uncertain; Obscure, save that which is plainly evident; I have no doubt, save of that which is certain; Science is that which happens accidentally; I win every time and still lose; At daybreak saying: “God grant you a good night!” Lying upside down, I have a great fear of falling; I have plenty and yet not one possession; I wait to inherit and am heir to no man, Well received, rejected by all. I don’t care about anything, but I’ve taken great pains To acquire goods, but don’t pretend to have any; Whoever is kind to me, that’s who I disdain, And who speaks the most truthfully to me, actually lies; He is my friend, who can make me believe that A white swan is a black crow; And whoever harms me, believes he has the power to help me; Lies, truth, today it’s all the same to me; I remember everything, I can’t conceive of anything, Well received, rejected by all. Lenient Prince, you may wish to know All that I've heard but did not understand: I hold myself apart, but am ruled by common law. What more can I do? What? Get back my wages, Well received, rejected by all.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2016 by Laura Prichard, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by François Villon (1431 - 1463), title 1: "Ballade du concours de Blois", title 2: "Ballade Villon"
This text was added to the website: 2016-04-15
Line count: 35
Word count: 280