C'est l'extase langoureuse
French source:
Paul Verlaine
C’est la fatigue amoureuse,
C’est tous les frissons des bois
Parmi l’étreinte des brises,
C’est, vers les ramures grises,
Le chœur des petites voix.
Ô le frêle et frais murmure!
Cela gazouille et susurre,
Cela ressemble au cri doux
Que l’herbe agitée expire …
Tu dirais, sous l’eau qui vire,
Le roulis sourd des cailloux.
Cette âme qui se lamente
En cette plainte dormante
C’est la nôtre, n’est-ce pas?
La mienne, dis, et la tienne,
Dont s’exhale l’humble antienne
Par ce tiède soir, tout bas?
It is languorous rapture
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
It is amorous fatigue,
It is all the tremors of the forest
In the breezes’ embrace,
It is, around the grey branches,
The choir of tiny voices.
O the delicate, fresh murmuring!
The warbling and whispering,
It is like the soft cry
The ruffled grass gives out …
You might take it for the muffled sound
Of pebbles in the swirling stream.
This soul which grieves
In this subdued lament,
It is ours, is it not?
Mine, and yours too,
Breathing out our humble hymn
On this warm evening, soft and low?
Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
C'est l'extase langoureuse
French source:
Paul Verlaine
It is languorous rapture
English source:
Richard Stokes
C’est l’extase langoureuse,
It is languorous rapture,
C’est la fatigue amoureuse,
It is amorous fatigue,
C’est tous les frissons des bois
It is all the tremors of the forest
Parmi l’étreinte des brises,
In the breezes’ embrace,
C’est, vers les ramures grises,
It is, around the grey branches,
Le chœur des petites voix.
The choir of tiny voices.
Ô le frêle et frais murmure!
O the delicate, fresh murmuring!
Cela gazouille et susurre,
The warbling and whispering,
Cela ressemble au cri doux
It is like the soft cry
Que l’herbe agitée expire …
The ruffled grass gives out …
Tu dirais, sous l’eau qui vire,
You might take it for the muffled sound
Le roulis sourd des cailloux.
Of pebbles in the swirling stream.
Cette âme qui se lamente
This soul which grieves
En cette plainte dormante
In this subdued lament,
C’est la nôtre, n’est-ce pas?
It is ours, is it not?
La mienne, dis, et la tienne,
Mine, and yours too,
Dont s’exhale l’humble antienne
Breathing out our humble hymn
Par ce tiède soir, tout bas?
On this warm evening, soft and low?
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…
Poet
Paul Verlaine
Paul-Marie Verlaine was a French poet associated with the Symbolist movement. He is considered one of the greatest representatives of the fin de siècle in international and French poetry. Born in Metz, Verlaine was educated at the Lycée Impérial…