Susanne un jour

Susanne un jour is a 16th-century French poem by Guillaume Guéroult (1507–1569) based on the biblical story of Susannah and the Elders. It 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.^[1]

Lassus's Missa Susanne un Jour is a mass setting on the theme of the song tune.

Text[edit]

Suzanne un jour d'amour sollicitée

Par deux vieillards convoitant sa beauté

Fut en son cœur triste et déconfortée

Voyant l'effort fait à sa chasteté.

Elle leur dit : si par déloyauté

De 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 innocence

Que d'offenser par péché le Seigneur.

English translation:

One day, Susanne's love was solicited

By two old men coveting her beauty.

She became sad and discomforted at heart,

Seeing the attempt on her chastity.

She said to them: 'If disloyally

From my body you take pleasure,

It is over with me! If I resist,

You would make me die in disgrace:

But I would rather perish in innocence,

Than offend the Lord by sin.'

^ K. J. Levy, "'Susanne Un Jour': The History of a 16th Century Chanson", Annales Musicologiques 1 (1953): 375–408.