Translation of "Autumn Leaves/Les feuilles mortes"...autumn that reminds one of lost loves...
Autumn Leaves/Les feuilles mortes de Jacques PREVERT (1900-77)
Translated by T. Wignesan
(Note: As far as I can make out, this poem is at the heart of all versions of « The Autumn Leaves " -
Sung by Edith Piaf, Juliette Gréco, Yves Montand, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and the like…)T. Wignesan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJZtOwaizjE
Mix - Chet Baker & Paul Desmond: "Autumn Leaves"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsz3mrnIBd0
Oh!
Je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes
Oh!
How I wish you’d remember
des jours heureux où nous étions amis
the joyous days when we were friends
En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle
In those days life was more beautiful
et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui
and the sun shone brighter than nowadays
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
Dead leaves one gathered by shovels
Tu vois je n'ai pas oublié
You see I have not forgotten
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
Fallen leaves one shoveled at will
les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
memories and regrets as well
et le vent du nord les emporte
and the wind from the north swept them
dans la nuit froide de l'oubli
into the cold night of forgetfulness
Tu vois je n'ai pas oublié
You see I have not forgotten
la chanson que tu me chantais
the song you sang to me
C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble
It was a song likened to ourselves
Toi tu m'aimais
You who loved me
et je t'aimais
and I likewise repaid
Et nous vivions tous deux ensemble
And we lived each with the other
toi qui m'aimais
you who loved me
et que j'aimais
and you I likewise loved
Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment
But life puts apart those in love
tout doucement
with infinite care
sans faire de bruit
without much ado
et la mer efface sur le sable
and sea waves efface on the sands
les pas des amants désunis
the footprints of lovers put asunder
Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle
Loads of dead leaves one shovels
les souvenirs et les regrets aussi
memories and regrets as well
Mais mon amour silencieux et fidèle
But my love silent and steadfast
sourit toujours et remercie la vie
always smiles and gives thanks to life
Je t'aimais tant tu étais si jolie
I loved you so much for your beauty
Comment veux-tu que je t'oublie
How could you wish that I forget you
En ce temps-là la vie était plus belle
In those days when living was far more joyous
et le soleil plus brûlant qu'aujourd'hui
and the sun burnt brighter than nowadays
Tu étais ma plus douce amie…
You were my sweetest friend…
Mais je n'ai que faire des regrets
But all I can do is to feel regretful
Et la chanson que tu chantais
And the song you sang
toujours toujours je l'entendrai
forever forever rings in my ears
C'est une chanson qui nous ressemble
It’s a song akin to us
Toi tu m'aimais et je t'aimais
You who loved me and I likewise you
Et nous vivions tous deux ensemble
And the two of us lived together
toi qui m'aimais que j'aimais
you who loved me and I likewise you
Mais la vie sépare ceux qui s'aiment
But life puts apart those in love
tout doucement
with infinite care
sans faire de bruit
without much ado
et la mer efface sur le sable
and sea waves efface on the sands
les pas des amants désunis.
the footprints of lovers put asunder.
(c) T. Wignesan - Paris, December 14, 2020
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Reviews of "Autumn Leaves/Les feuilles mortes de Jacques Prevert. Translation by T. Wig"
Bonsoir, Ron ! If I have not already wished you, here's the VERY BEST of the SEASON for you and your clan: MAY THE NEW YEAR USHER in NEW VISTAS on the local front !
As for your comment, you are of course - in the strictest sense - right, but "shovel" in the poem (a more frequent translation of "pelle") is used metaphorically in the sense of "piles and piles" that one could as with memories "shovel": "à la pelle" in French can be construed as "by the dozen" too, you may wish to note.
The words of "Fallen Leaves" have been sung by many using a mixture of Prevert's lyrics and, if I'm not mistaken (I'll check), Johnny Mercer's as well. In any case, I'm including an URL at the head of the poem of Andrea Bocelli, the blind operatic artiste, singing the song (there are partial literal translations as well with which I'm not happy) so that you can compare and enjoy the original and the variation.
P.S. I have now used "Autumn Leaves" instead of "Fallen Leaves" (the same in meaning) in order to avoid connections with the "Fallen Leaves" music group. Every good wish.
Perhaps the poem is the source of Falling Leaves, but it doesn't seem to follow the words in the song very closely at all. Even though the sentiment may. A couple of places you translated shovel. Here in the United States we use a shovel to remove snow in winter and a rake to rake piles of leaves in the fall (only to have the wind come along and blow the leaves from the pile all over again for another required raking.
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As for your comment, you are of course - in the strictest sense - right, but "shovel" in the poem (a more frequent translation of "pelle") is used metaphorically in the sense of "piles and piles" that one could as with memories "shovel": "à la pelle" in French can be construed as "by the dozen" too, you may wish to note.
The words of "Fallen Leaves" have been sung by many using a mixture of Prevert's lyrics and, if I'm not mistaken (I'll check), Johnny Mercer's as well. In any case, I'm including an URL at the head of the poem of Andrea Bocelli, the blind operatic artiste, singing the song (there are partial literal translations as well with which I'm not happy) so that you can compare and enjoy the original and the variation.
P.S. I have now used "Autumn Leaves" instead of "Fallen Leaves" (the same in meaning) in order to avoid connections with the "Fallen Leaves" music group.
Every good wish.
Thank you so much for the translation.
Ron