by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873)
When I consider every thing that grows
Language: English
Available translation(s): ITA
When I consider every thing that grows Holds in perfection but a little moment, That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows Whereon the stars in secret influence comment; When I perceive that men as plants increase, Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky, Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease, And wear their brave state out of memory; Then the conceit of this inconstant stay Sets you most rich in youth before my sight, Where wasteful Time debateth with decay To change your day of youth to sullied night, And all in war with Time for love of you, As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Sonnets, no. 15 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Rose Brandel , "When I consider every thing that grows", >>1950? [mezzo-soprano and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by John Buller (1927 - 2004), "When I consider every thing that grows", 1984, first performed 1985 [voice, flute, clarinet, string quartet, and harp], from Of Three Shakespeare Sonnets, no. 1 [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Richard Simpson (1820 - 1876), "Sonnet XV", 1864-5 [medium voice and piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Robert B. Whitcomb (b. 1921), "When I consider", 1978, first performed 1978 [baritone and piano], from Ode to Shakespeare [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by David Winkler , "Sonnet XV", 1981 [soprano and piano], from Five songs [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in Japanese (日本語), a translation by Tsubouchi Shōyō (1859 - 1935) FRE FRE ITA ; composed by Elliot Weisgarber.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
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Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo) , no title, appears in Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 15, first published 1857
- FRE French (Français) (François Pierre Guillaume Guizot) , no title, appears in Œuvres Complètes de Shakspeare Volume VIII, in Sonnets, no. 15, first published 1863
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Ferdinando Albeggiani) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-10-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 111
Quand je considère que tout ce qui croît
Language: French (Français)  after the English
Quand je considère que tout ce qui croît ne reste dans sa perfection qu'un petit moment, et que cet état suprême ne présente que des apparences soumises aux influences mystérieuses des astres, Quand je réfléchis que les hommes croissent comme les plantes, réjouis et abattus par le même ciel ; qu'ils s'épanouissent dans leur jeune séve, décroissent dès la maturité, et usent leur force vive jusqu'à l'oubli, Alors la pensée de cette condition inconstante reporte mes yeux sur vous, si riche en jeunesse, et je vois le temps ravageur se liguer avec la ruine pour changer en une nuit hideuse le jour de votre jeunesse. Alors, pour l'amour de vous, je fais au temps la guerre à outrance, et, à mesure qu'il vous entame, je vous greffe à une vie nouvelle.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873), no title, appears in Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 15, first published 1857 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Sonnets, no. 15
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-08-16
Line count: 14
Word count: 131