Victor Hugo is one of the greatest authors and dramaturgs in the world. He was born in Besançon (1802) and died in Paris (1885). He is the author of The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831). Les Misérables (1862). Les Châtiments (1853), which is a collection of poems, among many other literature works. The Coyote Chronicle honors his work and offers to our readers the poem Si vous n’avez rien a me dire (If you have nothing to tell me), this poem can be considered as a story of forbidden love, with a very melancholic hue. We invite you to read it and even more, you can listen the musical version by Françoise Hardy, a splendid French singer. You can read it in French and a close translation to English. Enjoy!
Si vous n’avez rien à me dire,
Pourquoi venir auprès de moi?
Pourquoi me faire ce sourire
Qui tournerait la tête au roi?
Si vous n’avez rien à me dire,
Pourquoi venir auprès de moi?
Si vous n’avez rien à m’apprendre,
Pourquoi me pressez-vous la main?
Sur le rêve angélique et tendre,
Auquel vous songiez en chemin,
Si vous n’avez rien à m’apprendre,
Pourquoi me pressez-vous la main?
Si vous voulez que je m’en aille,
Pourquoi passez-vous par ici?
Lorsque je vous vois, je tressaille:
C’est ma joie et c’est mon souci.
Si vous voulez que je m’en aille,
Pourquoi passez-vous par ici?
If you have nothing to tell me,
Why do you draw near?
Why give me that smile
That would turn a monarch’s head?
If you have nothing to tell me,
Why do you draw near?
If you have nothing to tell me
Why are you taking my hand?
About this tender, angelic dream
You dreamt on your journey here,
If you have nothing to tell me,
Why are you taking my hand?
If you wish me to go away,
Why do you pass by here?
When I catch sight of you, I tremble:
That both gladdens and troubles me.
If you wish me to go away
Why do you pass by here?
