Le Charme by Chausson

Word-to-Word translations

Quand ton sourire me surprit,

when  your smile  me surprise

Je sentis frémir tout mon être,

I   felt  shudder all my being

Mais ce qui domptait mon esprit,

but  what   tamed    my  mind

Je ne pus d'abord le connaître.

I  dont    at first   recognize

Quand ton regard tomba sur moi,

when  your look   fell on me

Je sentis mon âme se fondre,

I   felt   my soul   melt

Mais ce que serait cet émoi,

but   what  would  the  emotion

Je ne pus d'abord en répondre.

I  not    at first   answer

Ce qui me vainquit à jamais, 

the    me vanished   forever

Ce fut un plus douloureux charme;

it was a   more  sad       charme

Et je n'ai su que je t'aimais,

and i  not    that  I love you

Qu'en voyant ta première larme.

what  seeing your first   tears

(English translation by Thomas A. Gregg)

 When your smile surprised me,
 I felt a shudder through my entire being,
 But what tamed my spirit,
 At first I did not recognize.
 
 When your glance fell on me,
 I felt my soul melt,
 But what that emotion was,
 At first I could not answer it.
 
 What conquered me forever,
 That was a charm more sad,
 And I did not know that I loved you,
 Until I saw your first tear.