Rêverie
French source:
Victor Hugo
Donne à quelqu'un
Sa musique, sa flamme,
Ou son parfum;
Puisqu'ici toute chose
Donne toujours
Son épine ou sa rose
A ses amours;
Puisque l'air à la branche
Donne l'oiseau;
Que l'aube à la pervenche
Donne un peu d'eau;
Puisque, lorsqu'elle arrive
S'y reposer,
L'onde amère à la rive
Donne un baiser;
Je te donne, à cette heure,
Penché sur toi,
La chose la meilleure
Que j'aie en moi!
Reçois donc ma pensée,
Triste d'ailleurs,
Qui, comme une rosée,
T'arrive en pleurs!
Reçois mes voeux sans nombre,
O mes amours!
Reçois la flamme ou l'ombre
De tous mes jours!
Mes transports pleins d'ivresses,
Pur de soupçons,
Et toutes les caresses
De mes chansons!
Reverie
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
Gives someone
Its music, its ardour,
Or its perfume;
Since here all things
Will always give
Their thorns or roses
To those they love;
Since the breeze gives
To the branch the bird;
And dawn to the periwinkle
Gives of its dew;
Since when they come
To settle there,
The briny waves
Give the shore a kiss;
I give you, at this hour,
Inclining over you,
The finest things
I have in me!
Accept, then, my thoughts,
Sad though they be,
Which like drops of dew
Come to you as tears!
Accept my countless vows,
O my loves!
Accept the flame and the shade
Of all my days!
My frenzied rapture,
Devoid of all distrust,
And all the caresses
Of my songs!
Translation © Richard Stokes, from A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Rêverie
French source:
Victor Hugo
Reverie
English source:
Richard Stokes
Puisqu'ici-bas toute âme
Since here on earth each soul
Donne à quelqu'un
Gives someone
Sa musique, sa flamme,
Its music, its ardour,
Ou son parfum;
Or its perfume;
Puisqu'ici toute chose
Since here all things
Donne toujours
Will always give
Son épine ou sa rose
Their thorns or roses
A ses amours;
To those they love;
Puisque l'air à la branche
Since the breeze gives
Donne l'oiseau;
To the branch the bird;
Que l'aube à la pervenche
And dawn to the periwinkle
Donne un peu d'eau;
Gives of its dew;
Puisque, lorsqu'elle arrive
Since when they come
S'y reposer,
To settle there,
L'onde amère à la rive
The briny waves
Donne un baiser;
Give the shore a kiss;
Je te donne, à cette heure,
I give you, at this hour,
Penché sur toi,
Inclining over you,
La chose la meilleure
The finest things
Que j'aie en moi!
I have in me!
Reçois donc ma pensée,
Accept, then, my thoughts,
Triste d'ailleurs,
Sad though they be,
Qui, comme une rosée,
Which like drops of dew
T'arrive en pleurs!
Come to you as tears!
Reçois mes voeux sans nombre,
Accept my countless vows,
O mes amours!
O my loves!
Reçois la flamme ou l'ombre
Accept the flame and the shade
De tous mes jours!
Of all my days!
Mes transports pleins d'ivresses,
My frenzied rapture,
Pur de soupçons,
Devoid of all distrust,
Et toutes les caresses
And all the caresses
De mes chansons!
Of my songs!
Composer
Reynaldo Hahn
Reynaldo Hahn was a French composer, conductor and music critic. He moved to France at the age of three from Venezuela. Read more here.
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…