Text & Translation
Le voyageur
French source:
Armand Silvestre
Dans l’or vibrant de la poussière?
– Je m’en vais au soleil couchant,
Pour m’endormir dans la lumière.
Car j’ai vécu n’ayant qu’un Dieu,
L’astre qui luit et qui féconde.
Et c’est dans son linceul de feu
Que je veux m’en aller du monde!
– Voyageur, presse donc le pas:
L’astre, vers l’horizon, décline …
– Que m’importe, j’irai plus bas
L’attendre au pied de la colline.
Et lui montrant mon cœur ouvert,
Saignant de son amour fidèle,
Je lui dirai: j’ai trop souffert:
Soleil! emporte-moi loin d’elle!
The Wanderer
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Walking in the golden dust?
– I am going towards the sunset,
To fall asleep in the light.
For I have lived with only one God,
The sun which shines and makes fertile.
It is shrouded in his fire
That I wish to leave the world!
– Wanderer, you must hurry, then:
The sun slips towards the horizon …
– What do I care, I shall descend further
And wait at the foot of the hill.
And showing the sun my open heart,
Bleeding with faithful love,
I shall say: I have suffered too much:
Sun! Take me away from her!
Le voyageur
French source:
Armand Silvestre
The Wanderer
English source:
Richard Stokes
Voyageur, où vas-tu, marchant
Wanderer, where are you bound,
Dans l’or vibrant de la poussière?
Walking in the golden dust?
– Je m’en vais au soleil couchant,
– I am going towards the sunset,
Pour m’endormir dans la lumière.
To fall asleep in the light.
Car j’ai vécu n’ayant qu’un Dieu,
For I have lived with only one God,
L’astre qui luit et qui féconde.
The sun which shines and makes fertile.
Et c’est dans son linceul de feu
It is shrouded in his fire
Que je veux m’en aller du monde!
That I wish to leave the world!
– Voyageur, presse donc le pas:
– Wanderer, you must hurry, then:
L’astre, vers l’horizon, décline …
The sun slips towards the horizon …
– Que m’importe, j’irai plus bas
– What do I care, I shall descend further
L’attendre au pied de la colline.
And wait at the foot of the hill.
Et lui montrant mon cœur ouvert,
And showing the sun my open heart,
Saignant de son amour fidèle,
Bleeding with faithful love,
Je lui dirai: j’ai trop souffert:
I shall say: I have suffered too much:
Soleil! emporte-moi loin d’elle!
Sun! Take me away from her!
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
Armand Silvestre
Paul-Armand Silvestre, French poet and conteur, was born in Paris. He studied at the École polytechnique with the intention of entering the army, but in 1870 he entered the department of finance. He had a successful official career, was decorated…