Citation du jour/Quote of the day

In addition to being a co-author of this blog, Jean-Jacques Auffret has a personal project he calls "Citation du jour/Quote of the day."  In his words:

It consists in sending a quote every day to interested people through a free-subscribe mailing list (a Google Groups list or email me). If you like this, please make the community grow by forwarding your favorites quotes to whom you think they might inspire. Quotes in italic are a best-effort translation

The quotations are wonderfully diverse, come from many sources and are usually translated personally by Jean-Jacques from French to English or vice versa. I say "usually" because today Jean-Jacques pulled a fast one.  Here is what he sent this morning:

Marie, levez-vous ma jeune paresseuse:

Ja la gaie alouette au ciel a fredonné

Et ja le rossignol doucement jargonné,

Dessus l’épine assis, sa complainte amoureuse.

Sus ! debout ! allons voir l’herbellette perleuse,

Et votre beau rosier de boutons couronné,

Et vos œillets mignons auxquels aviez donné,

Hier au soir de l’eau, d’une main si soigneuse.

Harsoir en vous couchant vous jurâtes vos yeux

D’être plus tôt que moi ce matin éveillée :

Mais le dormir de l’Aube, aux filles gracieux

Vous tient d’un doux sommeil encor les yeux sillée.

Ca ! ça ! que je les baise et votre beau tétin,

Cent fois, pour vous apprendre à vous lever matin. 

Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585)

And people complained because there was no translation into English. So JJ sent a follow-up e-mail:  

As I anticipated, I receive lots of complaints about lack of translation for today’s quote.  So here is a quick (and dirty?) one, omitting all the gory details that poets ridiculously insist on stuffing their production with.

"It’s springtime, Marie, let’s do what people usually do during that season."

If you would like a bit of inspiration and amusement with your morning coffee and e-mail, click on the above link to subscribe.