Songs

Résurrection (pour le jour de Pâques)

by Olivier Messiaen From Chants de terre et de ciel (1938)

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Text & Translation

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Résurrection (pour le jour de Pâques)
French source: Olivier Messiaen

Alléluia, alléluia,
Il est le premier, le Seigneur Jésus.
Des morts, il est le premier né.
Sept étoiles d’amour au transpercé,
revêtez votre habit de clarté.
Je suis ressuscité, je suis ressuscité.
Je chante: pour toi, mon Père, pour toi,
mon Dieu, Alléluia
De mort à vie je passe. Un ange.
Sur la pierre il s’est posé.
Parfum, porte, perle,
azymes de la Vérité.

Alléluia, alléluia,
Nous l’avons touché, nous l’avons vu.
De nos mains nous l’avons touché.
Un seul fleuve de vie dans son côté,
revêtez votre habit de clarté.
Je suis ressuscité, je suis ressuscité.
Je monte: vers toi, mon Père, vers toi,
mon Dieu, Alléluia.
De terre à ciel je passe. .
Du pain. Il le rompt et leurs yeux sont dessillés.
Parfum, porte, perle,
lavez-vous dans la Vérité.

Resurrection (for Easter Day)
English translation © Richard Stokes

Halleluyah, halleluyah.
He is the first, the Lord Jesus.
He is the first-born of the dead.
Seven stars of love for the pierced one,
Put on your garment of light.
I have risen again, I have risen again;
I sing: For Thee, my Father, for Thee,
My God, Halleluyah.
I pass from death to life. An angel.
He has alighted on the stone.
Perfume, gate, pearl,
Unleavened bread of Truth.

Halleluyah, Halleluyah.
We have touched Him, we have seen Him.
With our hands we have touched Him.
A single stream of life in His side,
Put on your garment of light.
I have risen again, I have risen again.
I ascend: to Thee, my Father, to Thee,
My God, Halleluyah.
I pass from death to light.
Bread. He breaks it and scales fall from their eyes.
Perfume, gate, pearl,
Wash yourselves in Truth.

Translations by Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)

Résurrection (pour le jour de Pâques)
French source: Olivier Messiaen

Resurrection (for Easter Day)
English source: Richard Stokes

Alléluia, alléluia,
Halleluyah, halleluyah.
Il est le premier, le Seigneur Jésus.
He is the first, the Lord Jesus.
Des morts, il est le premier né.
He is the first-born of the dead.
Sept étoiles d’amour au transpercé,
Seven stars of love for the pierced one,
revêtez votre habit de clarté.
Put on your garment of light.
Je suis ressuscité, je suis ressuscité.
I have risen again, I have risen again;
Je chante: pour toi, mon Père, pour toi,
I sing: For Thee, my Father, for Thee,
mon Dieu, Alléluia
My God, Halleluyah.
De mort à vie je passe. Un ange.
I pass from death to life. An angel.
Sur la pierre il s’est posé.
He has alighted on the stone.
Parfum, porte, perle,
Perfume, gate, pearl,
azymes de la Vérité.
Unleavened bread of Truth.

Alléluia, alléluia,
Halleluyah, Halleluyah.
Nous l’avons touché, nous l’avons vu.
We have touched Him, we have seen Him.
De nos mains nous l’avons touché.
With our hands we have touched Him.
Un seul fleuve de vie dans son côté,
A single stream of life in His side,
revêtez votre habit de clarté.
Put on your garment of light.
Je suis ressuscité, je suis ressuscité.
I have risen again, I have risen again.
Je monte: vers toi, mon Père, vers toi,
I ascend: to Thee, my Father, to Thee,
mon Dieu, Alléluia.
My God, Halleluyah.
De terre à ciel je passe. .
I pass from death to light.
Du pain. Il le rompt et leurs yeux sont dessillés.
Bread. He breaks it and scales fall from their eyes.
Parfum, porte, perle,
Perfume, gate, pearl,
lavez-vous dans la Vérité.
Wash yourselves in Truth.

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…

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