by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873)
So am I as the rich, whose blessed key
Language: English
So am I as the rich, whose blessed key, Can bring him to his sweet up-locked treasure, The which he will not every hour survey, For blunting the fine point of seldom pleasure. Therefore are feasts so solemn and so rare, Since, seldom coming in that long year set, Like stones of worth they thinly placed are, Or captain jewels in the carcanet. So is the time that keeps you as my chest, Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide, To make some special instant special-blest, By new unfolding his imprison'd pride. Blessed are you whose worthiness gives scope, Being had, to triumph; being lacked, to hope.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Sonnets, no. 52 [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 Richard Simpson (1820 - 1876), "Sonnet LII", 1864-5. [high voice and piano] [text not verified]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo) , no title, from Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 52, published 1857
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-08-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 109
Je suis comme le riche qu'une clef bénie
Language: French (Français)  after the English
Je suis comme le riche qu'une clef bénie peut mettre en présence du doux trésor qu'il cache, et qui ne veut pas le contempler à toute heure, de peur d'émousser le piquant aiguillon du plaisir rare. Aussi bien les fêtes sont d'autant plus solennelles et recherchées qu'elles sont placées dans l'étendue de l'année à de lointains intervalles ; elles sont espacées comme des pierres précieuses, ou comme les joyaux à effet dans un collier. Ainsi le temps où je vous possède est comme ma cassette, à moi ; il est comme la garde-robe où est cachée ma robe d'apparat, et je réserve pour quelque instant spécial le spécial bonheur de dévoiler de nouveau ces splendeurs emprisonnées. Vous êtes béni, vous dont la perfection donne la béatitude à qui vous a, et l'espérance à qui ne vous a plus.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873), no title, appears in Sonnets de Shakespeare, no. 52, 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. 52
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: 2010-08-17
Line count: 14
Word count: 138