"Ah, je ris de me voir" Lyrics and Translation

Sung in the third act of Gounod's famous opera, Faust, Marguerite finds a small treasure box of jewels left outside of her door. After a neighbor tells her she must have an admirer, Marguerite excitedly takes the box inside to try on all the magnificent jewels that were placed inside it. Marguerite has never seen such fanciful jewels and falls instantly in love with them. As she tries on the jewelry, she looks at herself in the mirror and sings this aria.

French Lyrics

Ah! je ris de me voir
si belle en ce miroir,
Ah! je ris de me voir
si belle en ce miroir,
Est-ce toi, Marguerite, est-ce toi?
Réponds-moi, réponds-moi,
Réponds, réponds, réponds vite!
Non! Non! ce nest plus toi!
Non...non, ce nest plus ton visage;
Cest la fille dun roi;
Ce nest plus toi,
Quon salut au passage!
Ah sil était ici!
Sil me voyait ainsi!
Comme une demoiselle
Il me trouverait belle, Ah!
Comme une demoiselle,
Il me trouverait belle!
Achevons la métamorphose,
Il me tarde encor dessayer
Le bracelet it le collier!
Dieu! cest comme une main,
Qui sur mon bras se pose! ah! ah!
Ah! je ris
de me voir si belle dans ce miroir!

English Translation

Ah! I laugh to see myself
so beautiful in this mirror,
Ah! I laugh to see myself
so beautiful in this mirror,
Is it you, Marguerite, is that you?
Answer me, answer me,
Respond, respond, respond quickly!
No! No! That is no longer you!
No... no, this is no longer your face;
It is the daughter of a king
It is no longer you,
One must greet her as she passes!
Ah if only he was here!
He would see me thus
Like a lady
He would find me beautiful, Oh
Like a lady,
He would find me beautiful!
Let us complete my metamorphosis,
I am late, but I look forward to try on
this bracelet and necklace!
God! It's like a hand
Which arises on my arm! Ah! Ah
Ah! I laugh
to see myself so beautiful in this mirror!

More Famous Soprano Arias

• Caro Nome from Verdi's Rigoletto
• Flower Duet from Delibes' Lakme
• Sempre Libera from Verdi's La Traviata
• Vissi D'Arte from Puccini's Tosca