J'allais par des chemins perfides
(1870)
French source:
Paul Verlaine
Douloureusement incertain.
Vos chères mains furent mes guides.
Si pâle à l'horizon lointain
Luisait un faible espoir d'aurore;
Votre regard fut le matin.
Nul bruit, sinon son pas sonore,
N'encourageait le voyageur.
Votre voix me dit: "Marche encore!"
Mon coeur craintif, mon sombre coeur
Pleurait, seul, sur la triste voie;
L'amour, délicieux vainqueur,
Nous a réunis dans la joie.
I walked along treacherous ways
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Painfully uncertain.
Your dear hands guided me.
So pale on the far horizon
A faint hope of dawn was gleaming;
Your gaze was the morning.
No sound, save his own footfall,
Encouraged the traveller.
Your voice said: 'Walk on!'
My fearful heart, my heavy heart,
Wept, lonely along the sad road;
Love, that charming conqueror,
Has united us in joy.
Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
J'allais par des chemins perfides
(1870)
French source:
Paul Verlaine
I walked along treacherous ways
English source:
Richard Stokes
J'allais par les chemins perfides,
I walked along treacherous ways,
Douloureusement incertain.
Painfully uncertain.
Vos chères mains furent mes guides.
Your dear hands guided me.
Si pâle à l'horizon lointain
So pale on the far horizon
Luisait un faible espoir d'aurore;
A faint hope of dawn was gleaming;
Votre regard fut le matin.
Your gaze was the morning.
Nul bruit, sinon son pas sonore,
No sound, save his own footfall,
N'encourageait le voyageur.
Encouraged the traveller.
Votre voix me dit: "Marche encore!"
Your voice said: 'Walk on!'
Mon coeur craintif, mon sombre coeur
My fearful heart, my heavy heart,
Pleurait, seul, sur la triste voie;
Wept, lonely along the sad road;
L'amour, délicieux vainqueur,
Love, that charming conqueror,
Nous a réunis dans la joie.
Has united us in joy.
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
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…