Translation of the song lyrics Ce Lundi-Là - Michel Delpech, Vincent Delerm

Ce Lundi-Là (original)

Quand il est descendu pour acheter des cigarettes
Jean-Pierre savait déjà qu’il ne reviendrait plus jamais
Il a pensé encore à toute sa vie avec Michelle
Et puis il a tourné enfin le coin d’la rue
Michelle aurait voulu le voir grandir dans l’entreprise
Mais lui n’se voyait pas finir ses jours au marketing
Avec dans son café les cours de la livre sterling
Et des enfants qui lui ressembleraient de plus en plus
Voilà pourquoi ce lundi-là, il s’en allait
Voilà pourquoi ce lundi-là, il s’en allait
Il savait qu'à huit heures la table serait mise
A côté de son assiette il y aurait ses tranquillisants
S’il fallait toutes ces salop’ries pour arriver à s’endormir
Ce n'était pas la peine d’avoir trente ans
Et puis il verrait bien ce qu’il allait devenir
Mais il n’en pouvait plus de vivre déjà comme un vieux
Le but de sa vie n'était pas d’avoir un jour un compte en Suisse
Ce n'était pas l’argent qui lui manquait pour être heureux
Voilà pourquoi ce lundi-là, il s’en allait
Voilà pourquoi ce lundi-là, il s’en allait
Il revoyait encore la brasserie des «Trois dauphins»
Où ses amis l’attendraient demain de midi à deux heures
La crise entraînerait encore des conversations sans fin
Mais demain à deux heures il serait loin
Il revoyait aussi la Michelle amoureuse
Celle qui lui téléphonait trois fois par jour à son travail
C'était la vraie complicité, le vie n'était jamais sérieuse
Une de ces périodes heureuses qui ne se retrouve pas
Voilà pourquoi ce lundi-là, il s’en allait
Voilà pourquoi ce lundi-là, il s’en allait…

(translation)

When he came downstairs to buy cigarettes
Jean-Pierre already knew he would never come back
He still thought about his whole life with Michelle
And then he finally turned the corner
Michelle would have liked to see him grow in the company
But he didn't see himself ending his days in marketing
With in his cafe the course of the pound sterling
And children who would look more and more like him
That's why that Monday he was leaving
That's why that Monday he was leaving
He knew that at eight o'clock the table would be set
Next to his plate would be his tranquilizers
If it took all this shit to fall asleep
It wasn't worth turning thirty
And then he would see what he would become
But he couldn't stand living like an old man anymore
His life's goal was not to one day have an account in Switzerland
It wasn't the money that he lacked to be happy
That's why that Monday he was leaving
That's why that Monday he was leaving
He could still see the "Three Dolphins" brewery
Where his friends would be waiting for him tomorrow from noon to two o'clock
The crisis would still lead to endless conversations
But tomorrow at two o'clock he would be far away
He also saw the loving Michelle again
The one who called him three times a day at work
It was true bonding, life was never serious
One of those happy times that can't be found
That's why that Monday he was leaving
That's why that Monday he was leaving...