Quand on n'a que l'amour (EN) - Jacques Brel

When one only has love

English D. Kaiser

When one only has love
as a give and a take
at the dawn of the great trip
which is our great love.

When one only has love,
yes my love, you and me,
to make all burst with joy
every hour, every day.

When we only have love
to keep true to our word
without any other wealth
than to believe in its truth.

When one only has love
to furnish with wonder
and cover with light
the blight of the suburbs.

When one only has love
as the only target,
as the only one song
and the only recourse.

When one only has love
to clothe at the dawn
the poor and needy ones
in mantles of velvet.

When one only has love
to offer a prayer
to the suffering world
as a modest minstrel.

When one only has love
and then give it to those
who know only the fight
to search the daylight.

When one only has love
to trace mankind a path
and then force the fate
at every crossroads.

When one only has love
to speak to the guns
and just only one song
to change the mind of the drums,
then without having none
but the strength of love,
we shall hold in our hands
my friends, the whole wide world!