Oh! Quand je dors
(1840)
French source:
Victor Hugo
Comme à Pétrarque apparaissait Laura,
Et qu’en passant ton haleine me touche …
Soudain ma bouche
S’entr’ouvrira!
Sur mon front morne où peut-être s’achève
Un songe noir qui trop longtemps dura,
Que ton regard comme un astre se lève …
Et soudain mon rêve
Rayonnera!
Puis sur ma lèvre où voltige une flamme,
Éclair d’amour que Dieu même épura,
Pose un baiser, et d’ange deviens femme …
Soudain mon âme
S’éveillera!
Ah, while I sleep
(2018)
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
As Laura once appeared to Petrarch,
And let your breath in passing touch me …
At once my lips
Will part!
On my sombre brow, where a dismal dream
That lasted too long now perhaps is ending,
Let your countenance rise like a star …
At once my dream
Will shine!
Then on my lips, where a flame flickers—
A flash of love which God himself has purified—
Place a kiss and be transformed from angel into woman …
At once my soul
Will wake!
Oh! Quand je dors
(1840)
French source:
Victor Hugo
Ah, while I sleep (2018)
English source:
Richard Stokes
Oh! quand je dors, viens auprès de ma couche,
Ah, while I sleep, come close to where I lie,
Comme à Pétrarque apparaissait Laura,
As Laura once appeared to Petrarch,
Et qu’en passant ton haleine me touche …
And let your breath in passing touch me …
Soudain ma bouche
At once my lips
S’entr’ouvrira!
Will part!
Sur mon front morne où peut-être s’achève
On my sombre brow, where a dismal dream
Un songe noir qui trop longtemps dura,
That lasted too long now perhaps is ending,
Que ton regard comme un astre se lève …
Let your countenance rise like a star …
Et soudain mon rêve
At once my dream
Rayonnera!
Will shine!
Puis sur ma lèvre où voltige une flamme,
Then on my lips, where a flame flickers—
Éclair d’amour que Dieu même épura,
A flash of love which God himself has purified—
Pose un baiser, et d’ange deviens femme …
Place a kiss and be transformed from angel into woman …
Soudain mon âme
At once my soul
S’éveillera!
Will wake!
Composer
Franz Liszt
Franz Liszt (22 October 1811 – 31 July 1886) was a Hungarian composer, virtuoso pianist, conductor, music teacher, arranger and organist of the Romantic era. He was also a writer, a philanthropist, a Hungarian nationalist and a Franciscan…
Poet
Victor Hugo
Victor Marie Hugo was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic movement. He is considered one of the greatest and best-known French writers. In France, Hugo's literary fame comes first from his poetry and then from his novels and his…