When we've nothing but love (Jacques Brel & Rob Weinert-Kendt)

  When we’ve nothing but love 

As the gift that we bear 

Then the path that we’re walking 

Is the passion we share 

                                      

When we’ve nothing but love 

Between lovers and friends 

Then each day is a voyage 

And the trip never ends 

                                    

When we’ve nothing but love 

As the promise we give 

And our treasure is faith 

Every day that we live 

                                    

When we’ve nothing but love 

To enliven our days 

And to brighten the dark 

In this city of grays 

                                     

When we’ve nothing but love   

As our reason and mind 

And the song that we sing 

And the help that we find 

                                   

When we’ve nothing but love 

To serve food to the poor 

To give clothes to the naked 

When they knock at the door 

                                    

When we’ve nothing but love 

That we offer in prayer 

To the evil that rages 

In the world everywhere 

                                      

When we’ve nothing but love 

When we answer the call 

Of the people who struggle 

Just to go on at all 

                                   

When we’ve nothing but love 

As our compass and guide 

To discern the best path 

When beset on each side 

When we’ve nothing but love 

To talk back to a gun 

And we’ve only got songs 

To convince war it’s done 

So we’ve nothing but love 

What is all this love worth? 

My friends, barely nothing, 

Just the whole blessed earth. 

--Rob Weinert-Kendt’s new (non-literal) translation 

of Jacques Brel’s Quand on n’a que l’amour

To hear this song sung hauntingly by Yael Naim, Carnélia Jordana, and Nolwenn Leroy in tribute to the victims of the November 2015 Paris attacks, click on the video below:

Image source

Lyrics source

Original lyrics

Video source