Lyrics and translation Jacques Brel - La statue

La statue

J′aimerais tenir l'enfant de Marie
Qui a fait graver sous ma statue
"Il a vécu toute sa vie
Entre l′honneur et la vertu"
Moi qui ai trompé mes amis
De faux serment en faux serment
Moi qui ai trompé mes amis
Du jour de l'An au jour de l'An
Moi qui ai trompé mes maîtresses
De sentiment en sentiment
Moi qui ai trompé mes maîtresses
Du printemps jusques au printemps
Cet enfant de Marie je l′aimerais là
Et j′aimerais que les enfants ne me regardent pas

J'aimerais tenir l′enfant de carême
Qui a fait graver sous ma statue
"Les Dieux rappellent ceux qu'ils aiment
Et c′était lui qu'ils aimaient le plus"
Moi qui n′ai jamais prié Dieu
Que lorsque j'avais mal aux dents
Moi qui n'ai jamais prié Dieu
Que quand j′ai eu peur de Satan
Moi qui n′ai prié Satan
Que lorsque j'étais amoureux
Moi qui n′ai prié Satan
Que quand j'ai eu peur du Bon Dieu
Cet enfant de carême je l′aimerais là
Et j'aimerais que les enfants ne me regardent pas

J′aimerais tenir enfant de salaud
Qui a fait graver sous ma statue
"Il est mort comme un héros
Il est mort comme on ne meurt plus"
Moi qui suis parti faire la guerre
Parce que je m'ennuyais tellement
Moi qui suis parti faire la guerre
Pour voir si les femmes des Allemands
Moi qui suis mort à la guerre
Parce que les femmes des Allemands
Moi qui suis mort à la guerre
De n'avoir pu faire autrement
Cet enfant de salaud je l′aimerais là
Et j′aimerais que mes enfants ne me regardent pas

The Statue

I would like to hold Mary's child
Who had engraved under my statue
"He lived his whole life
Between honor and virtue"
I who deceived my friends
From false oath to false oath
I who deceived my friends
From New Year's Day to New Year's Day
I who deceived my mistresses
From feeling to feeling
I who deceived my mistresses
From spring to spring
I would love that child of Mary there
And I would like the children not to look at me

I would like to hold the child of Lent
Who had engraved under my statue
"The Gods call back the ones they love
And that was him they loved the most"
I who have never prayed to God
Except when I had toothaches
I who have never prayed to God
Except when I was afraid of Satan
I who have never prayed to Satan
Except when I was in love
I who have never prayed to Satan
Except when I was afraid of God
I would love that child of Lent there
And I would like the children not to look at me

I would like to hold the child of the scoundrel
Who had engraved under my statue
"He died like a hero
He died like we no longer die"
I who went off to war
Because I was so bored
I who went off to war
To see if the German women
I who died in the war
Because the German women
I who died in the war
Because I had no other choice
I would love that child of the scoundrel there
And I would like my children not to look at me