Lyrics of Il y avait - Jacques Brel

Il y avait (original)

Il y a tant de brouillard dans les ports au matin
Qu’il n’y a de filles dans le cœur des marins
Il y a tant de nuages qui voyagent là-haut
Qu’il n’y a d’oiseaux
Il y a tant de labours, il y a tant de semences
Qu’il n’y a de joie, d’espérance
Il y a tant de ruisseaux, il y a tant de rivières
Qu’il n’y a de cimetières
Mais il y a dans le bleu, dans les yeux de ma mie
Il y a dans ses yeux tant de vie
Il y a dans ses cheveux, un peu d'éternité
Sur sa lèvre tant de gaieté
Il y a tant de lumière dans les rues des cités
Qu’il n’y a d’enfants désolés
Il y a tant de chansons perdues dans le vent
Qu’il n’y a d’enfants
Il y a tant de vitraux, il y a tant de clochers
Qu’il n’y a de voix qui nous disent d’aimer
Il y a tant de canaux qui traversent la terre
Qu’il n' y a de rides aux visages des mères
Mais il y a dans le bleu, dans les yeux de ma mie
Il y a dans ses yeux tant de vie
Il y a dans ses cheveux, un peu d'éternité
Sur sa lèvre tant, tant de gaieté

(translation)

There's so much fog in the harbors in the morning
That there are no girls in the hearts of sailors
There are so many clouds traveling up there
that there are no birds
There's so much plowing, there's so much seed
That there is joy, hope
There are so many streams, there are so many rivers
That there are no cemeteries
But there's blue in my sweetie's eyes
There's so much life in his eyes
There's in her hair, a bit of eternity
On his lip so much gaiety
There's so much light in the city streets
That there are no sorry children
There are so many songs lost in the wind
that there are no children
There are so many stained glass windows, there are so many steeples
That there are no voices telling us to love
There are so many channels that cross the earth
That there are no wrinkles in the faces of mothers
But there's blue in my sweetie's eyes
There's so much life in his eyes
There's in her hair, a bit of eternity
On his lip so, so much joy