Soirée en mer
French source:
Victor Hugo
Quand tous deux, au jour baissant,
Nous errons dans la nacelle,
Laissant chanter l’homme frêle
Et gémir le flot puissant;
Sous l’abri que font les voiles
Lorsque nous nous asseyons,
Dans cette ombre où tu te voiles
Quand ton regard aux étoiles
Semble cueillir des rayons;
Quand tous deux nous croyons lire
Ce que la nature écrit,
Réponds, ô toi que j’admire,
D’où vient que mon cœur soupire?
D’où vient que ton front sourit?
Dis, d’où vient qu’à chaque lame
Comme une coupe de fiel,
La pensée emplit mon âme?
C’est que moi je vois la rame
Tandis que tu vois le ciel!
C’est que je vois les flots sombres,
Toi, les astres enchantés!
C’est que, perdu dans leurs nombres,
Hélas! je compte les ombres
Quand tu comptes les clartés!
Que sur la vague troublée
J’abaisse un sourcil hagard;
Mais toi, belle âme voilée,
Vers l’espérance étoilée
Lève un tranquille regard!
Tu fais bien. Vois les cieux luire.
Vois les astres s’y mirer.
Un instinct là-haut t’attire.
Tu regardes Dieu sourire;
Moi, je vois l’homme pleurer!
Evening at sea
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
When both of us, at the end of the day,
Drift in the boat,
With the frail man singing
And the powerful tide moaning;
Sheltered by the sails
As we sit down,
In this darkness where you veil your face
When, gazing at the stars,
You seem to gather rays;
When both of us think we can read
What nature has written –
O tell me, you whom I admire,
Why is it that my heart sighs?
Why is it that your brow smiles?
Tell me, why is it that at every billow,
Like a cup of bitter gall,
My soul is filled with thoughts?
It is because I gaze at the oar
While you gaze at the sky!
It is because I see the dark waves,
And you the enchanted stars!
It is because, lost in their throng,
Alas! I count up the shadows
And you the light!
It is because I cast a haggard gaze
Onto the muddied waters;
While you, you beautiful veiled soul,
Look up tranquilly
Towards starry hope.
You do well. See how the heavens gleam.
See the stars mirrored there.
An instinct makes you lift your gaze.
You can see God smiling;
While I see mankind weeping!
Soirée en mer
French source:
Victor Hugo
Evening at sea
English source:
Richard Stokes
Près du pêcheur qui ruisselle,
Next to the drenched fisherman,
Quand tous deux, au jour baissant,
When both of us, at the end of the day,
Nous errons dans la nacelle,
Drift in the boat,
Laissant chanter l’homme frêle
With the frail man singing
Et gémir le flot puissant;
And the powerful tide moaning;
Sous l’abri que font les voiles
Sheltered by the sails
Lorsque nous nous asseyons,
As we sit down,
Dans cette ombre où tu te voiles
In this darkness where you veil your face
Quand ton regard aux étoiles
When, gazing at the stars,
Semble cueillir des rayons;
You seem to gather rays;
Quand tous deux nous croyons lire
When both of us think we can read
Ce que la nature écrit,
What nature has written –
Réponds, ô toi que j’admire,
O tell me, you whom I admire,
D’où vient que mon cœur soupire?
Why is it that my heart sighs?
D’où vient que ton front sourit?
Why is it that your brow smiles?
Dis, d’où vient qu’à chaque lame
Tell me, why is it that at every billow,
Comme une coupe de fiel,
Like a cup of bitter gall,
La pensée emplit mon âme?
My soul is filled with thoughts?
C’est que moi je vois la rame
It is because I gaze at the oar
Tandis que tu vois le ciel!
While you gaze at the sky!
C’est que je vois les flots sombres,
It is because I see the dark waves,
Toi, les astres enchantés!
And you the enchanted stars!
C’est que, perdu dans leurs nombres,
It is because, lost in their throng,
Hélas! je compte les ombres
Alas! I count up the shadows
Quand tu comptes les clartés!
And you the light!
Que sur la vague troublée
It is because I cast a haggard gaze
J’abaisse un sourcil hagard;
Onto the muddied waters;
Mais toi, belle âme voilée,
While you, you beautiful veiled soul,
Vers l’espérance étoilée
Look up tranquilly
Lève un tranquille regard!
Towards starry hope.
Tu fais bien. Vois les cieux luire.
You do well. See how the heavens gleam.
Vois les astres s’y mirer.
See the stars mirrored there.
Un instinct là-haut t’attire.
An instinct makes you lift your gaze.
Tu regardes Dieu sourire;
You can see God smiling;
Moi, je vois l’homme pleurer!
While I see mankind weeping!
Composer
Camille Saint-Saëns
Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was a French composer, organist, conductor, and pianist of the Romantic era. A musical prodigy, he gave his first concert at only 10 years old, before studying at the Paris Conservatoire. Information from Wikipedia.…
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…