
Jacques Brel
Dites, si c’était vrai (poème) lyrics with English translation
- Language
- French
- Level
- Intermediate
- Genre
- French Pop, Ballad
- Length
- 1:34
Dites, dites, si c'était vrai
Say, say, if it were true
S'il était né vraiment à Bethléem, dans une étable
If he was truly born in Bethlehem, in a stable
Dites, si c'était vrai
Say, if it were true
Si les rois Mages étaient vraiment venus de loin, de fort loin
If the Wise Men really came from afar, from very far away
Pour lui porter l'or, la myrrhe, l'encens
To bring him gold, myrrh, and incense
Dites, si c'était vrai
Say, if it were true
Si c'était vrai tout ce qu'ils ont écrit Luc, Matthieu
If everything they wrote was true, Luke, Matthew
Et les deux autres
And the two others
Dites, si c'était vrai
Say, if it were true
Si c'était vrai le coup des Noces de Cana
If the story of the Wedding at Cana was true
Et le coup de Lazare
And the stroke of Lazarus
Dites, si c'était vrai
Tell me, if it were true
Si c'était vrai ce qu'ils racontent les petits enfants
If it were true what the little children say
Le soir avant d'aller dormir
The night before going to sleep
Vous savez bien
You know well
Quand ils disent Notre Père, quand ils disent Notre Mère
When they say Our Father, when they say Our Mother
Si c'était vrai tout cela
If all of that were true
Je dirais oui
I would say yes
Oh, sûrement je dirais oui
Oh, surely I would say yes
Parce que c'est tellement beau tout cela
Because it’s all so beautiful
Quand on croit, que c'est vrai
When we believe that it's true
Key vocabulary
- avant
- beforeA1
- beau
- beautifulA1
- coup
- hitA1
- dormir
- sleepA1
- enfants
- childrenA1
- fort
- strongA1
- loin
- farA1
- mère
- motherA1
- oui
- yesA1
- parce
- becauseA1
About this song
Jacques Brel was a Belgian singer, songwriter, and actor associated with lyric-driven French-language chanson. He was known for theatrical vocal delivery and character-driven songs, and his work influenced artists such as David Bowie, Scott Walker, and Marc Almond.