Sérénade
French source:
Victor Hugo
Le soir entre mes bras,
Entends-tu ma pensée
Qui te répond tout bas?
Ton doux chant me rappelle
Les plus beaux de mes jours …
Ah! chantez, chantez, ma belle,
Chantez toujours!
Quand tu ris, sur ta bouche
L’amour s’épanouit,
Et soudain le farouche soupçon
S’évanouit.
Ah! le rire fidèle
Prouve un cœur sans détours …
Ah! riez, riez, ma belle,
Riez toujours!
Quand tu dors, calme et pure,
Dans l’ombre, sous mes yeux,
Ton haleine murmure
Des mots harmonieux.
Ton beau corps se revèle
Sans voile et sans atours …
Ah! dormez, dormez, ma belle,
Dormez toujours!
Serenade
English translation ©
Richard Stokes
In my arms at evening,
Do you hear my thoughts
Softly answering you?
Your sweet song recalls
The loveliest days of my life …
Ah! sing, my fair one,
Sing on!
When you laugh, your lips
Blossom with love,
And instantly, wild
Suspicion vanishes.
Ah! that faithful laughter
Shows a sincere heart …
Ah! laugh, my fair one,
Laugh on!
When you sleep, calm and pure,
In the shade beneath my gaze,
Your breath murmurs
Melodious words.
Your body is revealed in its beauty
Without veil or finery …
Ah! sleep, my fair one,
Sleep on!
Translation © Richard Stokes, author of A French Song Companion (Oxford, 2000)
Sérénade
French source:
Victor Hugo
Serenade
English source:
Richard Stokes
Quand tu chantes, bercée
When you sing, cradled
Le soir entre mes bras,
In my arms at evening,
Entends-tu ma pensée
Do you hear my thoughts
Qui te répond tout bas?
Softly answering you?
Ton doux chant me rappelle
Your sweet song recalls
Les plus beaux de mes jours …
The loveliest days of my life …
Ah! chantez, chantez, ma belle,
Ah! sing, my fair one,
Chantez toujours!
Sing on!
Quand tu ris, sur ta bouche
When you laugh, your lips
L’amour s’épanouit,
Blossom with love,
Et soudain le farouche soupçon
And instantly, wild
S’évanouit.
Suspicion vanishes.
Ah! le rire fidèle
Ah! that faithful laughter
Prouve un cœur sans détours …
Shows a sincere heart …
Ah! riez, riez, ma belle,
Ah! laugh, my fair one,
Riez toujours!
Laugh on!
Quand tu dors, calme et pure,
When you sleep, calm and pure,
Dans l’ombre, sous mes yeux,
In the shade beneath my gaze,
Ton haleine murmure
Your breath murmurs
Des mots harmonieux.
Melodious words.
Ton beau corps se revèle
Your body is revealed in its beauty
Sans voile et sans atours …
Without veil or finery …
Ah! dormez, dormez, ma belle,
Ah! sleep, my fair one,
Dormez toujours!
Sleep on!
Composer
Charles Gounod
Charles-François Gounod was a French composer, best known for his Ave Maria, based on a work by Bach, as well as his opera Faust. 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…