Crépuscule
French source:
Charles van Lerberghe
Qui donc soupire, qu’est-ce qui pleure?
Qu’est-ce qui vient palpiter sur mon cœur,
Comme un oiseau blessé?
Est-ce une voix future,
Une voix du passé?
J’écoute, jusqu’à la souffrance,
Ce son dans le silence.
Île d’oubli, ô Paradis!
Quel cri déchire, dans la nuit,
Ta voix qui me berce?
Quel cri traverse
Ta ceinture de fleurs,
Et ton beau voile d’allégresse?
Twilight
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Who is it that sighs and what is it that weeps?
What comes to flutter in my heart,
Like a wounded bird?
Is it a premonition,
A voice from the past?
I listen, till it hurts,
To that sound in the silence.
Isle of oblivion, O paradise!
What cry in the night cracks
Your voice that cradles me?
What cry pierces
Your girdle of flowers,
And your lovely veil of happiness?
Crépuscule
French source:
Charles van Lerberghe
Twilight
English source:
Richard Stokes
Ce soir, à travers le bonheur,
This evening, amid the happiness,
Qui donc soupire, qu’est-ce qui pleure?
Who is it that sighs and what is it that weeps?
Qu’est-ce qui vient palpiter sur mon cœur,
What comes to flutter in my heart,
Comme un oiseau blessé?
Like a wounded bird?
Est-ce une voix future,
Is it a premonition,
Une voix du passé?
A voice from the past?
J’écoute, jusqu’à la souffrance,
I listen, till it hurts,
Ce son dans le silence.
To that sound in the silence.
Île d’oubli, ô Paradis!
Isle of oblivion, O paradise!
Quel cri déchire, dans la nuit,
What cry in the night cracks
Ta voix qui me berce?
Your voice that cradles me?
Quel cri traverse
What cry pierces
Ta ceinture de fleurs,
Your girdle of flowers,
Et ton beau voile d’allégresse?
And your lovely veil of happiness?
Composer
Gabriel Fauré
"Gabriel Urbain Fauré (12 May 1845 – 4 November 1924) was a French composer, organist, pianist and teacher. He was one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many 20th-century composers. Among his…
Poet
Charles van Lerberghe
Charles van Lerberghe was a Flemish (Belgian) symbolist poet writing in French. His poetry was set by Gabriel Fauré in the song cycles La chanson d'Ève and Le jardin clos. Taken from Wikipedia. To view the full article, please click here.