Blow, blow thou winter wind

General information

Lyricist: William Shakespeare , from As you like it (Act 2 Scene 7 lines 172-188)

Settings by composers (automatically updated)

• Thomas Arne — Blow, blow thou winter wind (arr. Hayes)  English SAB
• Thomas Arne — Blow, blow thou wintry wind (arr. Bishop)  English ATTB
• Simon Biazeck — Shakespeare's Carol: Blow, blow thou winter wind  English SATB
• Huub de Lange — Blow, blow, thou winter wind  English SATB
• George Alexander Macfarren — Blow, blow, thou winter wind  English SATB
• Charles Hubert Hastings Parry — Blow, blow, thou winter wind  English Solo Tenor
• Josef Rudolf Schachner — Blow, blow, thou winter wind  English SATB
• Richard John Samuel Stevens — Blow, blow thou winter wind  English SATB
• Charles Wood — Blow, blow, thou winter wind  English SATB

Text and translations

English text Blow, blow, thou winter wind. Thou art not so unkind As man's ingratitude; Thy tooth is not so keen, Because thou art not seen, Although thy breath be rude. Heigh-ho! sing, heigh-ho! unto the green holly: Most friendship is feigning, most loving meere folly: Then, heigh-ho, the holly! This Life is most jolly. Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky, That dost not bite so nigh As benefits forgot: Though thou the waters warp, Thy sting is not so sharp As friends remember'd not. Heigh-ho! sing, (etc.)

French translation by Henri Dupraz Souffle, souffle, ô vent d'hiver Tu n'es pas si blessant Qu'ingratitude humaine. Ta dent est moins acérée Car tu es invisible, Pour rude que soit ton souffle. Gèle, gèle, âpre ciel, Tes crocs sont moins cruels Que bontés oubliées. Bien que tu enchaînes les eaux, Ta morsure est moins vive Qu'amitié délaissée.