| C’est d’la prison que j’t'écris
| It's from prison that I'm writing to you
|
| Mon pauv' Polyte
| My poor Polyte
|
| Hier je n’sais pas c’qui m’a pris
| Yesterday I don't know what got into me
|
| A la visite
| At the visit
|
| C’est des maladies qui s’voient pas
| These are illnesses that cannot be seen
|
| Quand ça s’déclare
| When it declares itself
|
| N’empèche qu’aujourd’hui j’suis dans l’tas…
| Still, today I'm in the heap...
|
| A Saint-Lazare !
| To Saint-Lazare!
|
| Mais pendant c’temps-là, toi, vieux chien
| But meanwhile, you, old dog
|
| Quéqu'tu vas faire?
| What are you going to do?
|
| Je n’peux t’envoyer rien de rien
| I can't send you anything
|
| C’est la misère
| It's misery
|
| Ici tout l’monde est décavé
| Here everyone is stripped
|
| La braise est rare
| Embers are rare
|
| Faut trois mois pour faire un linvé
| Takes three months to make a linen
|
| A Saint-Lazare !
| To Saint-Lazare!
|
| Vrai, d’te savoir comm'ça, sans l’sou
| True, to know you like that, penniless
|
| Je m’fais une bile !
| I'm freaking out!
|
| T’es capab' de faire un sal’coup
| You're able to make a mess
|
| J’suis pas tranquille
| I'm not calm
|
| T’as trop d’fierté pour ramasser
| You have too much pride to pick up
|
| Des bouts d’cigare
| cigar stubs
|
| Pendant tout l’temps que j’vas passer
| During all the time that I will spend
|
| A Saint-Lazare !
| To Saint-Lazare!
|
| Va-t-en trouver la grand' Nana
| Go find the big Nana
|
| Dis que j’la prie
| Say I beg her
|
| D’casquer pour moi, j’y rendrai ça
| To helmet for me, I'll give it back
|
| A ma sortie
| On my way out
|
| Surtout n’y fais pas d’boniments
| Above all, don't make sales pitches
|
| Pendant qu’je m’marre
| While I'm having fun
|
| Et que j’bois des médicaments
| And I drink drugs
|
| A Saint-Lazare !
| To Saint-Lazare!
|
| Et pis, mon p’tit loup, bois pas trop
| And worse, my little wolf, don't drink too much
|
| Tu sais qu’t’es teigne
| You know you're ringworm
|
| Et qu’quand t’as un p’tit coup d’sirop
| And that when you have a little shot of syrup
|
| Tu fous la beigne;
| You're freaking out;
|
| Si tu t’faisais coffrer, un soir
| If you got busted one night
|
| Dans une bagarre | In a fight |
| Y a pus personne qui viendrait m’voir
| There's no one who would come to see me
|
| A Saint-Lazare !
| To Saint-Lazare!
|
| J’finis ma lettre en t’embrassant
| I finish my letter by kissing you
|
| Adieu, mon homme
| Farewell, my man
|
| Malgré qu’tu soy' pas caressant
| Although you're not caressing
|
| Ah ! | Ah! |
| J’t’adore comme
| I love you like
|
| J’adorais l’bon Dieu comme papa
| I adored the good God like dad
|
| Et qu’j’allais communier à Saint'-Marguerite | And that I was going to take communion at Saint'-Marguerite |