Text & Translation
Les deux guerriers
English source:
Olivier Messiaen
Comme des guerriers bardés de fer!
Ton oeil et mon oeil parmi les statues qui marchent,
Parmi les hurlements noirs,
Les écroulements de sulfureuses géométries.
Nous gémissons : ah ! écoute-moi,
Je suis tes deux enfants, mon Dieu!
En avant, guerriers sacramentels!
Tendez joyeusement vos boucliers.
Lancez vers le ciel les flèches du dévouement d'aurore:
Vous parviendrez aux portes de la Ville.
The two warriors
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Like iron-clad warriors!
Your eye and mind among walking statues,
Among black shrieking,
Among sulphurous geometries tumbling down.
We moan: ah! listen to me,
I am your two children, my God!
Onwards, sacramental warriors!
Joyfully hold up your shields!
Cast to the heavens the arrows of dawn devotion:
You shall reach the City gates.
Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Les deux guerriers
English source:
Olivier Messiaen
The two warriors
English source:
Richard Stokes
De deux nous voici un. En avant!
The two of us now are one. Onwards!
Comme des guerriers bardés de fer!
Like iron-clad warriors!
Ton oeil et mon oeil parmi les statues qui marchent,
Your eye and mind among walking statues,
Parmi les hurlements noirs,
Among black shrieking,
Les écroulements de sulfureuses géométries.
Among sulphurous geometries tumbling down.
Nous gémissons : ah ! écoute-moi,
We moan: ah! listen to me,
Je suis tes deux enfants, mon Dieu!
I am your two children, my God!
En avant, guerriers sacramentels!
Onwards, sacramental warriors!
Tendez joyeusement vos boucliers.
Joyfully hold up your shields!
Lancez vers le ciel les flèches du dévouement d'aurore:
Cast to the heavens the arrows of dawn devotion:
Vous parviendrez aux portes de la Ville.
You shall reach the City gates.
Composer
Olivier Messiaen
Olivier Eugène Prosper Charles Messiaen was a French composer, organist, and ornithologist. He wrote music for chamber ensembles and orchestra, vocal music, as well as for solo organ and piano, and also experimented with the use of novel electronic…
