Caprice
Ta lèvre où court une chanson,
Tu détournes les yeux, ta lèvre
Reste froide comme un glaçon,
Et, me repoussant de tes bras,
Tu dis que je ne t’aime pas.
Mais si je dis: Ce long martyre
M’a brisé, je romps mon lien!
Tu réponds avec un sourire:
Viens à mes pieds! tu le sais bien,
Ma chère âme, que c’est ton sort
De m’adorer jusqu’à la mort.
Caprice
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
From which a song sounds forth,
You avert your eyes, your lips
Remain as cold as icicles,
And, thrusting me from your arms,
You say that I do not love you.
But if I say: this long martyrdom
Has broken me, I end our affair!
You reply with a smile:
Kneel at my feet! You know full well,
Dear soul, that it is your destiny
To adore me until you die.
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Caprice
Caprice
English source:
Richard Stokes
Quand je baise, pâle de fièvre,
When, pale with fever, I kiss your lips
Ta lèvre où court une chanson,
From which a song sounds forth,
Tu détournes les yeux, ta lèvre
You avert your eyes, your lips
Reste froide comme un glaçon,
Remain as cold as icicles,
Et, me repoussant de tes bras,
And, thrusting me from your arms,
Tu dis que je ne t’aime pas.
You say that I do not love you.
Mais si je dis: Ce long martyre
But if I say: this long martyrdom
M’a brisé, je romps mon lien!
Has broken me, I end our affair!
Tu réponds avec un sourire:
You reply with a smile:
Viens à mes pieds! tu le sais bien,
Kneel at my feet! You know full well,
Ma chère âme, que c’est ton sort
Dear soul, that it is your destiny
De m’adorer jusqu’à la mort.
To adore me until you die.
Composer
Claude Debussy
(Achille) Claude Debussy was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Please click…