18th-Century France | Micheline's Blog

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18th-Century France, François Boucher, J'ai perdu tout mon bonheur, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Pastoral, Song & Lyrics

Portrait of a Young Woman in Profile with Pearls in Her Hair, c. 1750

François Boucher (29 September 1703 – 30 May 1770)

(Photo credit: Sights Within)

The complete lyrics are at

http://athena.unige.ch/athena/rousseau/devin/rousseau_devin_village1.html

in French

The complete intermezzo is at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAstYbAyUOM&list=PL5644F9B59F55E5D1

in French (John Portman)

A Summary of the Plot, from Wikipedia

“Colin and Colette love one another, yet they suspect each other of being unfaithful — in Colin’s case, with the lady of the manor, and in Colette’s with a courtier. They each seek the advice and support of the village soothsayer in order to reinforce their love. After a series of deceptions, Colin and Colette reconcile and are happily married.” (See Le Devin du village, Wikipedia.)

—ooo—

“J’ai perdu tout mon bonheur”

Colette soupirant et s’essuyant les yeux de son tablier.

(Colette, sighing and drying her eyes with her apron.)

J’ai perdu tout mon bonheur; (I have lost all my happiness;)
J’ai perdu mon serviteur ; (I have lost my servant;)
Colin me délaisse ! (Colin is staying away from me!)
Colin me délaisse !
J’ai perdu mon serviteur ; (I have lost my servant;)
J’ai perdu tout mon bonheur ; (I have lost all my happiness;)
Colin me délaisse ! (Colin is staying away from me!)
Colin me délaisse !

Hélas il a pu changer ! (Alas, he was able to change!)
Je voudrais n’y plus songer: (I would like no longer to think about it;)
Hélas, hélas (Alas)
Hélas,
Hélas, il a pu changer ! (Alas, he was able to change!)
Je voudrais n’y plus songer: (I would like no longer to think about it;
Hélas, Hélas
J’y songe sans cesse ! (I am forever thinking about it!)
J’y songe sans cesse !

J’ai perdu mon serviteur ;
J’ai perdu tout mon bonheur ;
Colin me délaisse !
Colin me délaisse !
J’ai perdu mon serviteur ;
J’ai perdu tout mon bonheur ;
Colin me délaisse !
Colin me délaisse !

4./5.

Il m’aimait autrefois, et ce fut mon malheur. (He loved me in the past, and that was my misfortune.)
Mais quelle est donc celle qu’il me préfère ? (But who is the one he prefers to me?)
Elle est donc bien charmante ! Imprudente Bergère, (She must be very charming! Careless Shepherdess,)
Ne crains-tu point les maux que j’éprouve en ce jour? (Don’t you fear the pain [ills] I feel today?)
Colin m’a pu changer, tu peux avoir ton tour. (Colin was able to replace me, you may have your turn.)
Que me sert d’y rêver sans cesse ? (Of what use is it to me to think about it always?)
Rien ne peut guérir mon amour, (Nothing can cure my love,
Et tout augmente ma tristesse. (And everything increases my sadness.) .

J’ai perdu mon serviteur ;

J’ai perdu tout mon bonheur ;

Colin me délaisse !

Je veux le haïr … je le dois … (I want to hate him … I must …)
Peut-être il m’aime encore … pourquoi me fuir sans cesse ? (Perhaps he still loves me … why is he always avoiding [fleeing from] me?)
Il me cherchait tant autrefois ! (He so sought me in the past!)
Le Devin du canton fait ici sa demeure ; The township‘s soothsayer makes his home here)
Il sait tout ; il saura le sort de mon amour. (He knowns everything; he will know the fate of my love.)
Je le vois, et je veux m’éclaircir en ce jour. (I see him, and I want matters cleared up for me today.)