Le P'tit Bonheur

It was a little happiness
That I had picked up
It was all in tears
On the edge of a ditch
When it saw me passing by
It started to cry: Sir, pick me up
Take me to your home

My brothers forgot me, I fell, I am sick
If you don't pick me, I will die, what a ballad!
I will become small, tender and submissive, I swear to you
Sir, I beg you, free me from my torture

I took the little happiness
Put it under my rags
I said: It must not die
Come to my house
Then the little happiness
Recovered
On the edge of my heart there was a song

My days, my nights, my sorrows, my mourning, my pain, all was forgotten
My idle life, I was disgusted to start over
When it rained outside or when my friends caused me pain
I took my little happiness and said to it: You are my queen

My happiness bloomed, it made buds
It was paradise
It showed on my forehead
But one lovely morning when I whistled this tune
My happiness left
Without giving me a hand

I begged it, cajoled it, made scenes
Showed it the big hole it made in the depths of my heart
It always left, head held high, without joy, without hate
As if it could no longer see the sun in my home

I thought of dying
From grief and boredom
I had stopped laughing
It was always night
I had only oblivion left
I had only contempt left
Finally, I said to myself: I still have life

I took up my stick, my mourning, my sorrows and my rags
And I walk the sole in lands of the unhappy
Today when I see a fountain or a girl
I take a big detour or I close my eyes
I take a big detour or I close my eyes