Lyrics

Quand tu chantes, bercée Le soir entre mes bras,
Entends-tu ma pensée Qui te répond tout bas?
Ton doux chant me rappelle Les plus beaux de mes jours. Ah! Chantez, Chantez,ma belle,
Chantez, chatez toujours!

Quand tu ris, sur ta bouche L'amour s'épanouit,
Et soudain le farouche Soupçon s'évanouit.
Ah! le rire fidèle prouve un coeur sans détours!
Ah! Riez, ma belle, Riez, toujours!

Quand tu dors, calme et pure, al' ombre, sous mes yeux, ton haleine murmure des mots harmonieux.
Ton beau corps se révèle sans voile et sans atours...
Ah! Dormez, dormez ma belle... dormez dormez toujours!

Translation:

When the voice of thy lute at the eve
Charmeth the ear,
In the hour of enchantment believe
What I murmur near.
That the tune can the Age of Gold
With its magic restore.
Play on, play on, my fair one,
Play on for evermore.

When thy laugh like the song of the dawn
Riseth so gay
That the shadows of Night are withdrawn
And melt away,
I remember my years of care
And misgiving no more.
Laugh on, laugh on, my fair one,
Laugh on for evermore.

When thy sleep like the moonlight above
Lulling the sea,
Doth enwind thee in visions of love,
Perchance, of me!
I can watch so in dream that enthralled me,
Never before!
Sleep on, sleep on, my fair one!
Sleep on for evermore.