Le village
French source:
Marie-Léontine Tsibinda
Peut-on jamais oublier ses rives
d’où monte le soir le clapotis de l’eau?
Peut-on jamais oublier ses sources
Peut-on jamais oublier ses feuilles de bananiers
qui bruissent dans les ténèbres?
Ecoute ce chant qui passe:
c’est un choeur d’enfants dans la pirogue
qui clisse dans la riviére
Sens-tu vibrer l’air du jour
et sens-tu frémir la terre grasse
quand l’ardeur du train bouscule le silence des montaignes?
Regarde le soleil qui s’endort
comme lui ètale ta natte et dors
car demain est un autre jour.
The Village
English translation ©
Janis A. Mayes
Can you ever forget its shore
from where the splashing of water rises in the evening?
Can you ever forget its springs?
Can you ever forget its banana leaves
that rustle in the darkenss?
Listen to the song that unfolds:
it is a chorus of children in the pirogue
that glides on the river
Can you feel the air of the day vibrate
and can you feel the rich soil tremble
when the fire of a train pushes through the silence of the mountains?
Look at the sun falling asleep
like him unfold your mat and sleep
for tomorrow is another day.
Le village
French source:
Marie-Léontine Tsibinda
The Village
English source:
Janis A. Mayes
Peut-on jamais oublier le village?
Can you ever forget the village?
Peut-on jamais oublier ses rives
Can you ever forget its shore
d’où monte le soir le clapotis de l’eau?
from where the splashing of water rises in the evening?
Peut-on jamais oublier ses sources
Can you ever forget its springs?
Peut-on jamais oublier ses feuilles de bananiers
Can you ever forget its banana leaves
qui bruissent dans les ténèbres?
that rustle in the darkenss?
Ecoute ce chant qui passe:
Listen to the song that unfolds:
c’est un choeur d’enfants dans la pirogue
it is a chorus of children in the pirogue
qui clisse dans la riviére
that glides on the river
Sens-tu vibrer l’air du jour
Can you feel the air of the day vibrate
et sens-tu frémir la terre grasse
and can you feel the rich soil tremble
quand l’ardeur du train bouscule le silence des montaignes?
when the fire of a train pushes through the silence of the mountains?
Regarde le soleil qui s’endort
Look at the sun falling asleep
comme lui ètale ta natte et dors
like him unfold your mat and sleep
car demain est un autre jour.
for tomorrow is another day.
Composer
Judith Weir
Judith Weir was born into a Scottish family in 1954, but grew up near London. She was an oboe player, performing with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, and studied composition with John Tavener during her schooldays. She went on to…