L'histoire de la vie – Bilingual Lyrics French/English

• By: Elton John
• Album: The Lion King (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the universal themes of life, death, and interconnectedness through Elton John's "L'histoire de la vie" ("Circle of Life"). This iconic song from Disney's "The Lion King" offers a powerful emotional journey and a deep reflection on our place in the world, making it a perfect gateway to understanding the beauty and complexity of life's continuous cycle.

[English]

In the lion’s pride, here we come

Say uhmm, in the pride

In the lion’s pride, here we come

Say uhmm, in the pride - The pride

At dawn of your life on this planet

Brightened by the Sun God

To infinity, you awaken to wonders

Of the Earth that waits and calls you

You’ll have so many things to see

To cross the boundary of knowledge

To gather the legacy

That comes from the depths of time

In harmony

Of a chain of love

It’s the story

Of life

The eternal cycle

That a blessed child

Makes immortal

The endless round

Of this eternal cycle

It’s the story

The story of life

It’s the story of life

The eternal cycle

That a blessed child

Makes immortal

The endless round

Of this eternal cycle

It’s the story

The story of life

[French]

Nants ingonyama bagithi baba

Sithi uhhmm ingonyama

Nants ingonyama bagithi babo

Sithi uhhmm ingonyama Ingonyama

Au matin de ta vie sur la planète

ébloui par le dieu Soleil

a l'infini, tu t'éveilles aux merveilles

de la Terre qui t'attend et t'appelle

Tu auras tant de choses à voir

pour franchir la frontière du savoir

recueillir l'héritage

qui vient du fond des âges

dans l'harmonie

d'une chaîne d'amour

c'est l'histoire

de la vie

le cycle éternel

qu'un enfant béni

rend immortel

La ronde infinie

de ce cycle éternel

C'est l'histoire

l'histoire de la vie

C'est l'histoire de la vie

le cycle éternel

qu'un enfant béni

rend immortel

La ronde infinie

de ce cycle éternel

C'est l'histoire

l'histoire de la vie

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
ingonyama /iŋoɲjama/ C2	noun - a lion (from Zulu)
babi /babi/ C2	noun - father (from Zulu)
sithi /siˈthi/ C2	verb - say (from Zulu)
au matin /o matɛ̃/ B1	noun - morning (French)
planète /planet/ B1	noun - planet
ébloui /e.blu.i/ B2	adjective - dazzled or overwhelmed by light
dieu /djø/ C1	noun - god
infini /ɛ̃.fini/ C1	adjective/noun - infinite, endless; infinity
merveille /mɛʁ.vɛj/ B2	noun - wonder, marvel
terre /tɛʁ/ A2	noun - earth, land
harmony /ˈhɑː.mə.ni/ B2	noun - harmony, concord
amour /amuʁ/ B2	noun - love
cycle /sikl/ B1	noun - cycle, circle
éternel /e.tɛʁ.nɛl/ C2	adjective - eternal, everlasting
enfant /ɑ̃.fɑ̃/ A2	noun - child
immortel /i.mɔʁ.tɛl/ C1	adjective/noun - immortal, eternal; immortal being
ronde /ʁɔ̃d/ C2	noun - round, circle

Key Grammar Structures

• Au matin de ta vie sur la planète

  ➔ Prepositional phrase indicating time and location

  ➔ The phrase "Au matin de ta vie" uses the preposition "de" to specify "the morning of your life".

• ébloui par le dieu Soleil

  ➔ Passive construction with "par" indicating the agent

  ➔ The phrase "ébloui par le dieu Soleil" uses "par" to indicate "by the sun god", showing a passive voice.

• a l'infini, tu t'éveilles aux merveilles

  ➔ Reflexive verb "t'éveilles" with preposition "à" indicating awakening to something

  ➔ The reflexive verb "t'éveilles" shows the subject awakening itself, with "à" indicating what it awakens to (the wonders).

• qui vient du fond des âges

  ➔ Prepositional phrase "du fond des âges" indicating origin or source

  ➔ The phrase "du fond des âges" uses "de" and "des" to specify "from the depths of ages", indicating origin.

• C'est l'histoire de la vie

  ➔ It is the present tense "c'est" (it is) + noun phrase

  ➔ The phrase "C'est l'histoire de la vie" uses "c'est" as the present tense of "ce être" to introduce a subject.

• le cycle éternel

  ➔ Noun phrase "le cycle éternel" with definite article "le"

  ➔ The phrase "le cycle éternel" uses the definite article "le" with a masculine noun to refer to the "eternal cycle".

• C'est l'histoire

  ➔ Contraction of "ce est" meaning "this is" + noun

  ➔ The phrase "C'est l'histoire" uses "c'est" to introduce "the story" as a subject, with "l'histoire" as the noun.