L’Âne portant des Reliques Bilingue Français/Anglais

L’Âne portant des Reliques

Un baudet chargé de reliques
S’imagina qu’on l’adoroit:
Dans ce penser il se carroit,
Recevant comme siens l’encens et les cantiques.
Quelqu’un vit l’erreur, et lui dit:
Maître baudet, ôtez-vous de l’esprit
Une vanité si folle;
Ce n’est pas vous, c’est l’idole
A qui cet honneur se rend,
Et que la gloire en est due.
D’un magistrat ignorant
C’est la robe qu’on salue.

The Ass Carrying Relics

An ass, with relics for his load,
Supposed the worship on the road
Meant for himself alone,
And took on lofty airs,
Receiving as his own
The incense and the prayers.
Some one, who saw his great mistake,
Cried, ‘Master Donkey, do not make
Yourself so big a fool.
Not you they worship, but your pack;
They praise the idols on your back,
And count yourself a paltry tool.’

‘Tis thus a brainless magistrate
Is honour’d for his robe of state.