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Text & Translation

Berceuse Cosaque
French source: Mikhail Yur'yevich Lermontov trans. Louis Pomey

Dors dans les plis de mon voile,
Dors, ô mon enfant;
Jusqu'à toi la pâle étoile
Glisse en souriant.

Je te dirai quelque conte,
Quelque simple chant;
Mais au ciel la lune monte,
Dors, ô mon enfant!

Du Térek longeant la rive,
Et rampant sans bruit,
Le Lesghin vers nous arrive,
A travers la nuit.

Sois sans crainte, ton vieux père
A vu maints combats
En riant clos ta paupière
Ne t'évielle pas!

Pour toi même de la guerre
L'heure sonnera
Aux caresses de ta mère
L'on t'arrachera!

Toi parti, combie de larmes
Je répands tout bas!
Que ton front est plein de charmes,
Ne t'évielle pas!

Dans le pleurs passant ma vie,
Plus de paix pour moi.
Nuit et jour pour toi je prie,
ou je rève à toi.

Je me dis: sur ces parages
Que fait-il làbas?
Dors sans crainte des orange,
Ne t'évielle pas!

Je te donnerai l'image
De ton saint patron
Ne crains pas dan le voyage
D'invoquer son nom.

Quand viendra l'heure suprême,
L'heure des combats,
Souviens-toi combie je t'aime,
Ne t'évielle pas!

A Cossack Lullaby
English translation © Katherine Eberle

There in the folds of my veil,
Sleep, o my child.
On to you comes
The stars faint smile.

I will tell you a tale.
Such a simple song,
But in the sky shines the moon,
Sleep o my child.

Along the banks of the Terek,
Crawling towards us
The Lesghin comes to us
Through the night.

Fear no harm, your old father
Has fought many a foe.
Smile and close your eyes -
Do not wake.

For you even that time of war,
The hour will come and take you away
From the sweet touch
Of your mother!

With you away,
My tears quietly swell.
I answer over there,
Your brow is so sweet, be at rest!

In a trail of tears
My life has passed,
All peace has vanished.
Night and day for you I pray.

I dream of you and wonder to myself,
Far away yonder, what is his fate?
There, fear no harm from the storms,
Be at rest.

I will give you the sacred icon
Of your patron saint.
Do not fear in your travels
To call his name.

When the wretched times come,
The times of combat,
Remember how I love you.
Be at rest!

Berceuse Cosaque
French source: Mikhail Yur'yevich Lermontov trans. Louis Pomey

A Cossack Lullaby
English source: Katherine Eberle

Dors dans les plis de mon voile,
There in the folds of my veil,
Dors, ô mon enfant;
Sleep, o my child.
Jusqu'à toi la pâle étoile
On to you comes
Glisse en souriant.
The stars faint smile.

Je te dirai quelque conte,
I will tell you a tale.
Quelque simple chant;
Such a simple song,
Mais au ciel la lune monte,
But in the sky shines the moon,
Dors, ô mon enfant!
Sleep o my child.

Du Térek longeant la rive,
Along the banks of the Terek,
Et rampant sans bruit,
Crawling towards us
Le Lesghin vers nous arrive,
The Lesghin comes to us
A travers la nuit.
Through the night.

Sois sans crainte, ton vieux père
Fear no harm, your old father
A vu maints combats
Has fought many a foe.
En riant clos ta paupière
Smile and close your eyes -
Ne t'évielle pas!
Do not wake.

Pour toi même de la guerre
For you even that time of war,
L'heure sonnera
The hour will come and take you away
Aux caresses de ta mère
From the sweet touch
L'on t'arrachera!
Of your mother!

Toi parti, combie de larmes
With you away,
Je répands tout bas!
My tears quietly swell.
Que ton front est plein de charmes,
I answer over there,
Ne t'évielle pas!
Your brow is so sweet, be at rest!

Dans le pleurs passant ma vie,
In a trail of tears
Plus de paix pour moi.
My life has passed,
Nuit et jour pour toi je prie,
All peace has vanished.
ou je rève à toi.
Night and day for you I pray.

Je me dis: sur ces parages
I dream of you and wonder to myself,
Que fait-il làbas?
Far away yonder, what is his fate?
Dors sans crainte des orange,
There, fear no harm from the storms,
Ne t'évielle pas!
Be at rest.

Je te donnerai l'image
I will give you the sacred icon
De ton saint patron
Of your patron saint.
Ne crains pas dan le voyage
Do not fear in your travels
D'invoquer son nom.
To call his name.

Quand viendra l'heure suprême,
When the wretched times come,
L'heure des combats,
The times of combat,
Souviens-toi combie je t'aime,
Remember how I love you.
Ne t'évielle pas!
Be at rest!

Composer

Pauline Viardot

Pauline Viardot, née Garcia (1821-1910) was one of the most remarkable, accomplished musical professionals of the 19th century. Born into a family of music professionals, she wanted to be a pianist, but following the early death of her sister…

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