C'est un homme terrible [English translation]

He’s a terrible man

With soft eyes.

He uses me for a target.

He knocks me around.

He makes me cry

With a look.

He makes me tremble

When he is late.

He’s a terrible man

With green eyes

He sees through me,

He looks right through me

Like I’m transparent

When he’s with me

I cry, I moan

I remain quiet.

I slip down a slope

of fear and dread.

This man haunts me

He crucifies me

He’s a terrible man

A terrible man

But when he caresses me,

When I feel his two hands

Placed like a bandage

Over my grieving eyes

Then I come alive again

I rediscover springtime

Happiness draws me

To the core of my lover.

He’s a terrible man

With blue eyes.

My heart is the target

Where he aims best.

He comes back to me.

He always comes back

With a big ‘L’

Called Love

He’s a terrible man

He’s afraid of the night.

In my fragile arms

He calms down and laughs

And then falls asleep.

And then I look at him

He’s no longer violent

It’s me who guards him,

A sentry apart

From me, the loser.

When dawn arrives

I’ll abandon the watch

Of this terrible man

Of this terrible man

Of this terrible man

Of this terrible man

Terrible...terrible...

(sigh)

• Artist:Édith Piaf