“Que Dieu me pardonne” is a 2018 collaboration between Kendji Girac and Claudio Capéo, two artists who have both enjoyed recent popularity in France.

About the Artists

Kendji Girac

Kendji Jason Maillié, who performs as Kendji Girac is a singer and guitarist from Périgueux, in France’s Dordogne region. Girac is his mother’s family name. Born into a Catalan Romani family, he grew up in a caravan, travelling during the summer and passing winters in Dordogne, and speaking Catalan as his first language. His grandfather taught him to play guitar. When he was 16 he left school to work for his father as an arborist.

In 2013 his grandfather published a video of him singing the Maître Gims song “Bella” online. The video went viral, getting almost 3.8 million views, and got him onto the third season of The Voice : La Plus Belle Voix in 2014. He would go on to win the competition.

He released his first album entitled Kenji in September of 2014. It was classified number one in French sales with 68,000 copies sold in the first week. It would stay in the number one position for 12 weeks. By the following January it had sold 600,000 copies, and reached over 1 million copies by October 2015. It was certified three times Diamond.

Kendji has released two other albums which have both seen success, charting number one in French sales and reaching two times Diamond and three times Platinum certifications. He has won four NRJ Music Awards. In 2014 he won Francophone Breakthrough of the Year, and he won Song of the Year three times, in 2014 for “Color Gitano”, in 2015 for “Conmigo” and again in 2018 for “Pour oublier”. He joined the group Les Enfoirés in 2016.

Biographical information from Wikipedia (French and English).

Claudio Capéo

Claudio Ruccolo, who performs as Claudio Capéo, is a singer and accordion player from Cernay, in the Haut Rhin area, in the north-east of France. He began playing accordion and entering competitions when he was five years old. In his teens he was part of a metal band and then an African jazz band. After school he worked as a carpenter and continued his music, forming the Claudio Capéo band. The band self-produced two albums and toured France and Europe. While performing at the Printemps de Bourges music festival it was suggested to him that he apply to The Voice.

In 2016 he participated in the fifth season of The Voice : La Plus Belle Voix. Though he was eliminated rather early, this experience got him noticed. Afterwards he was contacted by Sébastien Sausset, the director of the record label Jo&Co. In August of 2016 he released the album Claudio Capéo, which stayed at number one in French sales for five weeks, and was certified platinum. It reached number twelve in album sales in France for 2016, and by the summer of 2017 (one year after its release) it had sold more than 4000,000 copies and was certified diamond. By 2018 sales had reached 800,000. The single “Un homme debout” reached number 6 on the French Singles Chart.

In February of 2018 he collaborated with Vitaa on the song “Un peu de rêve” that appeared on her album J4M. In December of the same year he released another album entitled Tant que rien ne m’arrête, which was certified platinum.

According to the SNEP (Syndicat national de l’édition phonographique or National Syndicate of Phonographic Publishing) he is the artist with the third most airtime in France after Ed Sheeran and Julien Doré. In January 2019 he joined Les Enfoirés.

Biographical information from Wikipedia (French and English).

Cultural References, Idioms and Explanations

‘il faut’ – This is a phrase that is often translated as ‘to have to’, ‘must’ or ‘it is necessary’. It will often be followed by a pronoun and a verb conjugated in the subjunctive, to say who has to or must do something, for example ‘il faut que j’aille’ (I have to go) or ‘il faut que tu fasses tes devoirs’ (you have to do your homework). When there is no pronoun used, ‘il faut’ is often understood to mean you must, as in a person in general. While I would often translate this phrase that way, there were instances where ‘you’ did not seem to work, so I used ‘it is necessary’ throughout for consistency.

‘avoir tort’ – This is one of the many phrases that uses ‘avoir’ in French. Meaning ‘to be wrong’, it translates literally as ‘to have wrong’.

‘baisser les bras’ – Literally meaning ‘to lower one’s arms’, this phrase means ‘to give up’ or ‘to throw in the towel’.

‘ne … que’ – This is a common form of negation. Used in the same way as ‘ne … pas’ (sandwiched around the verb), it means ‘only’.

‘bon à rien’ – This phrase means ‘good for nothing’. Like its English equivalent it means ‘worthless’ or ‘a worthless person’.

‘avoir le cœur sur la main’ – Literally meaning ‘to have one’s heart on one’s hand’, this phrase means ‘to be generous’ or ‘to be big hearted’.

‘comment tu vas?’ – Literally translating as ‘how are you going?’, this phrase means ‘how are you doing?’.

Song Lyrics with Grammatical Breakdown

Mouse over a term for grammatical information. A chart of the terms and grammatical information can be found here.

Quequethat, than | conj DieuDieuGod | noun | masc sing meme, myselfpron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing pardonnepardonnerto forgive, to overlook | verb | first pers sing pres

[Verse 1]
Ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary êtreêtreto be | verb | infin desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl dieux,dieugod | noun | masc pl ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary êtreêtreto be | verb | infin fortfortstrong | adj
Commecommelike, as; because, since | conj sisiif | conj mouillermouillerto moisten, get wet | verb | infin desdessome | indef art | masc and fem pl yeux,œileye | noun | masc pl c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons ceuxceuxthose, the ones | pron quiquiwho, which, that | pron | interr or rel ontavoirto have | verb | third pers pl pres torttortwrong | noun | masc sing | avoir tort = to be wrong
Ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary danser,danserto dance | verb | infin etetand | conj cachercacherto hide | verb | infin sasahis, her its, one's | poss adj | fem sing douleurdouleurpain | noun | fem sing
Êtreêtreto be | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing dernierdernierlast | adj | masc sing ààat, to, in | prep pleurer,pleurerto cry | verb | infin jamaisjamaisnever, ever | adv montrermontrerto show | verb | infin sasahis, her its, one's | poss adj | fem sing peurpeurfear | noun | fem sing
Ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary êtreêtreto be | verb | infin desdessome | indef art | used before plural nouns rois,roiking | noun | masc sing ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing fierfierproud | adj
Commecommelike, as; because, since | conj sisiif | conj baisserbaisserlower, drop | verb | infin | baisser les bras = give up, throw in the towel leslesthe | def art | masc and fem pl bras,brasarm | noun | masc sing and pl | baisser les bras = give up, throw in the towel c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons celuiceluithe one, one, people, those, whoever | pron quiquiwho, which, that | pron | interror rel perdperdreto lose | noun | third pers sing pres
Ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary cogner,cognerto bang, hit, thump | verb | infin etetand | conj puispuisthen, finally, what's more | adv bomberbomberbend, bow, cower | verb | infin | bomber le torse = stick out one's chest, strut about, swagger lelethe | def art | masc sing torsetorsetorso, chest | noun, masc | bomber le torse = stick out one's chest, strut about, swagger
Êtreêtreto be | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing premierpremierfirst; main; original | adj | masc sing ààat, to, in | prep criercrierscream, yell, shout, cry out | verb | infin plusplusmore | adv fortfortstrong; loudly | adj

[Chorus]
Maismaisbut | conj quequethat, than | conj DieuDieuGod | noun | masc sing mememe, myself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing pardonnepardonnerto forgive, to overlook | verb | first pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres touttouteverything; anything | pron faitfaireto do, to make | verb | third pers sing pres ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsinstinctinstinctinstinct | noun | masc sing
Moimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing jejeI | pron | first pers sing nenenot, no | adv | used with another negative term, such as 'ne … pas' | ne … que = only suisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowels | ne … que = onlyununa | indef art | masc sing hommehommeman | noun | masc sing
Peut-êtrepeut-êtremaybe, perhaps, possibly | adv ununa | indef art | masc sing bonbongood | adj | masc sing | bon à rien = good for nothing ààat, to, in | prep rien(ne) … riennothing, not … anything | pron | in cases where the 'ne' is grammatically necessary it is often omitted in colloquial speech | bon à rien = good for nothing
Maismaisbut | conj quequethat, than | conj DieuDieuGod | noun | masc sing mememe, myself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing pardonnepardonnerto forgive, to overlook | verb | first pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing cœurcœurheart | noun | masc sing | avoir le cœur sur la main = to be generous, big hearted sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing mainmainhand | noun | fem sing | avoir le cœur sur la main = to be generous, big hearted
Sisiif | conj parfoisparfoissometimes, occasionally | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsabandonneabandonnergive up, withdraw from, drop, abandon; leave, desert | verb | first pers sing c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin mieuxmieuxbetter | adv demaindemaintomorrow | adv

[Verse 2]
Ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary êtreêtreto be | verb | infin ununa | indef art | masc sing génie,géniegenius | noun | masc sing êtreêtreto be | verb | infin uneunea | indef art | fem sing odeodeode | noun | fem sing ààat, to, in | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing joiejoiejoy | noun | fem sing
Ààat, to, in | prep chaquechaqueeach, every | adj foisfoistime | noun | fem sing and pl qu’quethat, than | conjononone, people, you, someone; we | pron | following verbs conjugate in third pers sing, even when used colloqually to mean 'we' nousnouswe, us | pron ditdireto say, tell | verb | third pers sing “etetand | conj toiyoupron | sec pers sing, informal commentcommenthow | adv tutuyou | pron | sec pers sing, inform vas?”allerto go | verb | sec pers sing | comment tu vas? = how are you doing?
Ililhe, it | pron | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary faudraitfalloirneed, be needed; have to, must | verb | third pers sing cond | il faut = have to, must, it is necessary pousserpousserto push | verb | infin toustousall, all of, every | adj ceuxceuxthose, the ones | pron autourautouraround, all around | adv dedeof; from | prep soisoiself, himself, herself, yourself, itself | pron
Êtreêtreto be | verb | infin lelethe | def art | masc sing premierpremierfirst; main; original | adj | masc sing ààat, to, in | prep criercrierscream, yell, shout, cry out | verb | infin “regardezregarderlook at, watch | verb | sec pers pl (or formal sing) impera-moi”moime | pron | dir, indir obj

[Chorus]
Maismaisbut | conj quequethat, than | conj DieuDieuGod | noun | masc sing mememe, myself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing pardonnepardonnerto forgive, to overlook | verb | first pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres touttouteverything; anything | pron faitfaireto do, to make | verb | third pers sing pres ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsinstinctinstinctinstinct | noun | masc sing
Moimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing jejeI | pron | first pers sing nenenot, no | adv | used with another negative term, such as 'ne … pas' | ne … que = only suisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowels | ne … que = onlyununa | indef art | masc sing hommehommeman | noun | masc sing
Peut-êtrepeut-êtremaybe, perhaps, possibly | adv ununa | indef art | masc sing bonbongood | adj | masc sing | bon à rien = good for nothing ààat, to, in | prep rien(ne) … riennothing, not … anything | pron | in cases where the 'ne' is grammatically necessary it is often omitted in colloquial speech | bon à rien = good for nothing
Maismaisbut | conj quequethat, than | conj DieuDieuGod | noun | masc sing mememe, myself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing pardonnepardonnerto forgive, to overlook | verb | first pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing cœurcœurheart | noun | masc sing | avoir le cœur sur la main = to be generous, big hearted sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing mainmainhand | noun | fem sing | avoir le cœur sur la main = to be generous, big hearted
Sisiif | conj parfoisparfoissometimes, occasionally | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsabandonneabandonnergive up, withdraw from, drop, abandon; leave, desert | verb | first pers sing c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin mieuxmieuxbetter | adv demaindemaintomorrow | adv

[Bridge]
Dansdansin | prep mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem pl yeux,œileye | noun | masc pl dansdansin | prep mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem pl yeuxœileye | noun | masc pl touttouteverything; anything | pron m’meme; myself | pron | first pers sing, dir obj, indir obj, and reflex | shortened to m' before vowelsétonneétonnerto surprise, amaze, astonish | verb | third pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing cœur,cœurheart | noun | masc sing j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing cœurcœurheart | noun | masc sing quiquiwho, which, that | pron, interr or rel rayonnerayonnerto shine, radiate, glow | verb | third pers sing pres
Cecethis, that | pron | masc sing quequethat, than | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsai,avoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing quequethat, than | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres jejeI | pron | first pers sing lelethe | def art | masc sing donne,donnerto give | verb | first pers sing pres
Dansdansin | prep mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem plural yeux,œileye | noun | masc pl dansdansin | prep mesmesmy | poss adj | masc and fem pl yeuxœileye | noun | masc pl touttouteverything; anything | pron m’meme; myself | pron | first pers sing, dir obj, indir obj, and reflex | shortened to m' before vowelsétonneétonnerto surprise, amaze, astonish | verb | third pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing cœur,cœurheart | noun | masc sing j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing cœurcœurheart | noun | masc sing quiquiwho, which, that | pron | interr or rel rayonnerayonnerto shine, radiate, glow | verb | third pers sing pres
Cecethis, that | pron | masc sing quequethat, than | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsai,avoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres cecethis, that | dem adj | masc sing quequethat, than | conj j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres jejeI | pron | first pers sing lelethe | def art | masc sing donnedonnerto give | verb | first pers sing pres

[Chorus] x 2
Maismaisbut | conj quequethat, than | conj DieuDieuGod | noun | masc sing mememe, myself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing pardonnepardonnerto forgive, to overlook | verb | first pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres touttouteverything; anything | pron faitfaireto do, to make | verb | third pers sing pres ààat, to, in | prep l’le, lathe | def art | masc or fem sing | shortened to l' before vowelsinstinctinstinctinstinct | noun | masc sing
Moimoime | pron | dir and indir obj, first pers sing jejeI | pron | first pers sing nenenot, no | adv | used with another negative term, such as 'ne … pas' | ne … que = only suisêtreto be | verb | first pers sing pres qu’quethat, than | conj | shortened to qu' before vowels | ne … que = onlyununa | indef art | masc sing hommehommeman | noun | masc sing
Peut-êtrepeut-êtremaybe, perhaps, possibly | adv ununa | indef art | masc sing bonbongood | adj | masc sing | bon à rien = good for nothing ààat, to, in | prep rien(ne) … riennothing, not … anything | pron | in cases where the 'ne' is grammatically necessary it is often omitted in colloquial speech | bon à rien = good for nothing
Maismaisbut | conj quequethat, than | conj DieuDieuGod | noun | masc sing mememe, myself | pron | dir and indir obj, reflex, first pers sing pardonnepardonnerto forgive, to overlook | verb | first pers sing pres
J’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsaiavoirto have | verb | first pers sing pres lelethe | def art | masc sing cœurcœurheart | noun | masc sing | avoir le cœur sur la main = to be generous, big hearted sursuron, upon; on top of, above | prep lalathe | def art | fem sing mainmainhand | noun | fem sing | avoir le cœur sur la main = to be generous, big hearted
Sisiif | conj parfoisparfoissometimes, occasionally | adv j’jeI | pron | first pers sing | shortened to j' before vowelsabandonneabandonnergive up, withdraw from, drop, abandon; leave, desert | verb | first pers sing c’cethis, that, it | pron | shortened to c' before a vowelestêtreto be | verb | third pers sing pres pourpourto; for | prep | to' before verbs, 'for' before nouns or prons fairefaireto do; to make | verb | infin mieuxmieuxbetter | adv demaindemaintomorrow | adv

Lyrics with Translation

Songs in any language often leave room for multiple interpretations. Following is my interpretation of the song lyrics.

Que Dieu me pardonne
God forgive me

[Verse 1]
Il faudrait être des dieux, il faudrait être fort
It would be necessary to be gods, one would have to be strong
Comme si mouiller des yeux, c’est pour ceux qui ont tort
As if wetting one’s eyes is for those who are wrong
Il faudrait danser, et cacher sa douleur
One would have to dance, and hide their pain
Être le dernier à pleurer, jamais montrer sa peur
To be the last to cry, never showing one’s fear
Il faudrait être des rois, il faudrait faire le fier
It would be necessary to be gods, one would have to be strong
Comme si baisser les bras, c’est pour celui qui perd
As if giving up, it’s for whoever loses
Il faudrait cogner, et puis bomber le torse
It would be necessary to hit, and then strut about
Être le premier à crier plus fort
To be the first to shout louder

[Chorus]
Mais que Dieu me pardonne
But God forgive me
J’ai tout fait à l’instinct
I did everything on instinct
Moi je ne suis qu’un homme
I’m just a man
Peut-être un bon à rien
Maybe a good-for-nothing
Mais que Dieu me pardonne
But God forgive me
J’ai le cœur sur la main
I am generous/big-hearted
Si parfois j’abandonne c’est pour faire mieux demain
If sometimes I give up it’s to do better tomorrow

[Verse 2]
Il faudrait être un génie, être une ode à la joie
It would be necessary to be a genius, to be an ode to joy
À chaque fois qu’on nous dit “et toi comment tu vas?”
Every time someone says to us “and how are you?”
Il faudrait pousser tous ceux autour de soi
It would be necessary to push all those around oneself
Être le premier à crier “regardez-moi!”
Be the first to shout “look at me!”

[Chorus]
Mais que Dieu me pardonne
But God forgive me
J’ai tout fait à l’instinct
I did everything on instinct
Moi je ne suis qu’un homme
I’m just a man
Peut-être un bon à rien
Maybe a good-for-nothing
Mais que Dieu me pardonne
But God forgive me
J’ai le cœur sur la main
I am generous/big-hearted
Si parfois j’abandonne c’est pour faire mieux demain
If sometimes I give up it’s to do better tomorrow

[Bridge]
Dans mes yeux, dans mes yeux tout m’étonne
In my eyes, in my eyes everything amazes me
J’ai le cœur, j’ai le cœur qui rayonne
My heart, my heart radiates
Ce que j’ai, ce que j’ai je le donne
What I have, what I have I give
Dans mes yeux, dans mes yeux tout m’étonne
In my eyes, in my eyes everything amazes me
J’ai le cœur, j’ai le cœur qui rayonne
My heart, my heart radiates
Ce que j’ai, ce que j’ai je le donne
What I have, what I have I give

[Chorus] x 2
Mais que Dieu me pardonne
But God forgive me
J’ai tout fait à l’instinct
I did everything on instinct
Moi je ne suis qu’un homme
I’m just a man
Peut-être un bon à rien
Maybe a good-for-nothing
Mais que Dieu me pardonne
But God forgive me
J’ai le cœur sur la main
I am generous/big-hearted
Si parfois j’abandonne c’est pour faire mieux demain
If sometimes I give up it’s to do better tomorrow