Colombine

1. Léandre le sot, (1)
Pierrot qui d'un saut
De puce
Franchit le buisson,
Cassandre sous son
Capuce,

2. Arlequin aussi,
Cet aigrefin si
Fantasque,
Aux costumes fous,
Les yeux luisant sous
Son masque :

3. Do, mi, sol, mi, fa, (2)
Tout ce monde va,
Rit, chante 
Et danse devant
Une frêle enfant 
Méchante,
 
4. Dont les yeux pervers,
Comme les yeux verts
Des chattes, 
Gardent ses appas
Et disent : « A bas 
les pattes ! "

Ici s’intercale 
une strophe sans paroles,
puis Brassens chante ce qui suit 
en guise de conclusion :

5. L'implacable enfant,
Preste et relevant
Ses jupes,
La rose au chapeau,
Conduit son troupeau
De dupes !

1. Leander the chump (1)
And the flea-like jump-
-ing Pierrot,
Whom ‘neath his monk’s cowl
Cassander can’t thole
To follow,

2. Harlequin also, 
That cheating rogue so
Whimsical,
In his crazy dress,
Whose masked eyes fluoresce 
A little:

3. Do, mi, so, mi, fa, (2)
All these folks who laugh
And gobble,
Dance and make a show 
For a frail girl who
Means trouble,

4. Whose menacing eyes,  
Green eyes  of felines
Are guarding
Her body’s charms and
They say “Keep your hand
From wand’ring! “

A verse with no words 
is played next and then 
Brassens sings the following 
as the last verse:

5. The child, hard to please, 
With her skirts, to tease,
High lifted, 
In her hat a rose, 
Leads the flock of those
She tricked!

Transl. Christian Souchon (c) 2017