| Tristesse, adieu tristesse un soir de carnaval
| Sadness, goodbye sadness on a carnival night
|
| Oui, mais le bonheur n’est qu’une larme
| Yes, but happiness is only a tear
|
| Qui tremble sur le bord de chaque fleur
| Which quivers on the edge of every flower
|
| Brilliant dans l’ombre, à la fin elle tombe
| Shining in the shadows, in the end it falls
|
| Ce sont les premiers pleurs de notre cœur
| These are the first cries of our heart
|
| Le bonheur du pauvre est vraiment dans l’ivresse
| The happiness of the poor is really in drunkenness
|
| Que va lui donner le carnaval
| What will carnival give him
|
| Le pauvre travaille sans cesse, sans cesse
| The poor work ceaselessly, ceaselessly
|
| Pour oublier sa misère, au milieu de la lumière
| To forget his misery, in the middle of the light
|
| Il est comme un prince à l’allure fière
| He's like a proud looking prince
|
| Mais son bonheur finit après la nuit
| But her happiness ends after dark
|
| Happiness must end, but sadness goes on and on
| Happiness must end, but sadness goes on and on
|
| Happiness is like the dew drops on a flower
| Happiness is like the dew drops on a flower
|
| That sparkle for a moment in the dawn
| That sparkle for a moment in the dawn
|
| Then fall like teardrops from the eyes of a young girl
| Then fall like teardrops from the eyes of a young girl
|
| Who cries to realize her lover’s gone
| Who cries to realize her lover's gone
|
| Poor people work all year to make one dream come true
| Poor people work all year to make one dream come true
|
| To share a night of joy at Carnaval
| To share a night of joy at Carnival
|
| They dress up as clowns and pirates and kings
| They dress up as clowns and pirates and kings
|
| They dance the night away, they’re still dancing at daybreak
| They dance the night away, they're still dancing at daybreak
|
| As long as they dance, they can pretend
| As long as they dance, they can pretend
|
| That happiness and Carnaval won’t end
| That happiness and Carnival won't end
|
| Tristesse, adieu tristesse
| Sadness, goodbye sadness
|
| Tristesse, adieu tristesse
| Sadness, goodbye sadness
|
| Tristesse, adieu tristesse | Sadness, goodbye sadness |