La tendresse [English translation]

One can live without riches,

almost without a penny.

Of lords and of princesses

there are no longer many.

But living without tenderness

we couldn't do that.

No, no, no, no

we couldn't do that.

One can live without glory

which proves nothing,

be unknown in history

and be happy with that.

But living without tenderness

is out of the question

no, no, no, no,

it's out of the question.

Such a sweet weakness,

such a lovely feeling,

this need for tenderness

which comes to us at birth

truly, truly, truly.

Work is neccessary

but if we need to spend

weeks doing nothing

OK then...we do it.

But living without tenderness

the time seems to you to be long,

long, long, long, long,

the time sees to you to be long.

In the fire of youth

pleasures are born

and love achieves feats

to dazzle us.

Yes, but without its tenderness

love would be nothing,

no, no, no. no,

love would be nothing.

When pitiless life

falls upon you

you're nothing more than a poor devil

crushed and disillusioned.

Then without the tenderness

of a heart that supports us

no, no, no, no,

we would go no further.

A child embraces you

because he's made happy,

All our sorrows fade away,

we have tears in our eyes.

My God, my God, my God...

in your immense wisdom,

immense fervour,

make it then endlessly rain

deep in our hearts

torrents of tenderness

so that love may rule,

love may rule

until the end of days.