by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Translation by Alexis Paulin Pâris (1800 - 1881)
They say that Hope is happiness
Language: English
They say that Hope is happiness -- But genuine Love must prize the past; And mem'ry wakes the thoughts that bless They rose the first -- they set the last. And all that mem'ry loves the most Was once our only hope to be: And all that hope adored and lost Hath melted into memory. Alas! it is delusion all -- The future cheats us from afar, Nor can we be what we recall, Nor dare we think on what we are.
Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "They say that Hope is happiness", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 29, first published 1815 [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 Giacomo Arri , "They say that Hope is happiness", published 1841 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Leonard J[ordan] Lehrman (b. 1949), "They say that Hope is happiness ", op. 36 no. 2 (1973) [ female voice with piano or winds ], from Two songs of a madman, no. 2 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Isaac Nathan (1790 - 1864), "They say that Hope is happiness", published 1815 [ voice and piano ], from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 29 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by John Thomson (1805 - 1841), "They say that Hope is happiness", published 1834 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Ils disent que l'espérance est du bonheur", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 29
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-08-09
Line count: 12
Word count: 79
Ils disent que l'espérance est du bonheur
Language: French (Français)  after the English
Ils disent que l'espérance est du bonheur; mais l'amour natal peut honorer le passé, et la mémoire réveille les pensées qui consolent: elles se lèvent les premières -- et se couchent les dernières; et tout ce que la mémoire aime le plus à se rappeler était autrefois notre seule espérance; et tout ce que cette espérance a adoré et perdu s'est conservé dans la mémoire. Hélas ! tout est déception; l'avenir nous abuse de loin; nous ne pouvons être ce que nous nous rappelons, et nous n'osons penser à ce que nous sommes.
Authorship:
- by Alexis Paulin Pâris (1800 - 1881), "Ils disent que l'espérance est du bonheur", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 29 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "They say that Hope is happiness", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 29, first published 1815
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 page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2012-01-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 92