Nuit sans fin
French source:
Claude Debussy
Tristesse morne des heures où l’on attend!
Cœur rompu.
Fièvre du sang rythmant les douces syllabes de son nom.
Qu’elle vienne, la trop désirée,
Qu’elle vienne, la trop aimée,
Et m’entoure de son parfum de jeune fleur.
Que mes lèvres mordent le fruit de sa bouche
Jusqu’à retenir son âme entre mes lèvres!
Ai-je donc pleuré en vain,
Ai-je donc crié en vain
Vers tout cela qui me fuit!
Tristesse morne,
Nuit sans fin!
Night without end
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Dismal sadness of the hours of waiting!
Broken heart.
Fevered blood beats out the sweet rhythm of her name.
May she come—she whom I desire
and love too much,
and may she enfold me in her freshly flowering fragrance.
May my lips bite the fruit of her mouth
until I taste her soul on my lips.
Did I, then, weep in vain?
Did I, then, cry out in vain—
to all that flees me!
Dismal sadness,
night without end!
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Nuit sans fin
French source:
Claude Debussy
Night without end
English source:
Richard Stokes
Nuit sans fin.
Night without end.
Tristesse morne des heures où l’on attend!
Dismal sadness of the hours of waiting!
Cœur rompu.
Broken heart.
Fièvre du sang rythmant les douces syllabes de son nom.
Fevered blood beats out the sweet rhythm of her name.
Qu’elle vienne, la trop désirée,
May she come—she whom I desire
Qu’elle vienne, la trop aimée,
and love too much,
Et m’entoure de son parfum de jeune fleur.
and may she enfold me in her freshly flowering fragrance.
Que mes lèvres mordent le fruit de sa bouche
May my lips bite the fruit of her mouth
Jusqu’à retenir son âme entre mes lèvres!
until I taste her soul on my lips.
Ai-je donc pleuré en vain,
Did I, then, weep in vain?
Ai-je donc crié en vain
Did I, then, cry out in vain—
Vers tout cela qui me fuit!
to all that flees me!
Tristesse morne,
Dismal sadness,
Nuit sans fin!
night without end!
Composer
Claude Debussy
(Achille) Claude Debussy was a French composer. He is sometimes seen as the first Impressionist composer, although he vigorously rejected the term. He was among the most influential composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Please click…
