Susanne un jour is a 16th-century French poem by Guillaume Guéroult (1507–1569) that was set to music by Didier Lupi Second and much adapted by later composers, including Orlande de Lassus, Cipriano de Rore, Gerard van Turnhout, Claude Le Jeune, and Eustache Du Caurroy.
Lassus's Missa Susanne un Jour is a mass setting on the theme of the song tune.
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The poem itself is based on the biblical story of Susannah and the Elders.
Suzanne un jour d'amour sollicitéePar deux vieillards convoitant sa beautéFut en son cœur triste et déconfortéeVoyant l'effort fait à sa chasteté.Elle leur dit : si par déloyautéDe ce corps mien vous avez jouissance,C'est fait de moi ! Si je fais résistance,Vous me ferez mourir en déshonneur:Mais j'aime mieux périr en innocenceQue d'offenser par péché le Seigneur.English translation:
One day, Susanne's love was solicitedBy two old men coveting her beauty.She became sad and discomforted at heart,Seeing the attempt on her chastity.She said to them: 'If disloyallyFrom my body you take pleasure,This is done to me! If I resist,You would make me die in disgrace:But I would rather perish in innocence,Than offend the Lord by sin.'References
Susanne un jour Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA