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Lorsque tu fermeras mes yeux à la lumière, Baise-les longuement, car ils t'auront donné Tout ce qui peut tenir d'amour passionné Dans le dernier regard de leur ferveur dernière. Sous l'immobile éclat du funèbre flambeau, Penche vers leur adieu ton triste et beau visage Pour que s'imprime et dure en eux la seule image Qu'ils garderont dans le tombeau. Et que je sente, avant que le cercueil se cloue, Sur le lit pur et blanc se rejoindre nos mains Et que près de mon front sur les pâles coussins Une suprême fois se repose ta joue. Et qu'après je m'en aille au loin avec mon cœur, Qui te conservera une flamme si forte Que même à travers la terre compacte et morte Les autres morts en sentiront l'ardeur !
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Émile Verhaeren (1855 - 1916), no title, appears in Les heures du soir, no. 26 [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 Agnelle Bundervoët (1922 - 2015), "Les heures du soir", 1954, copyright © 1965 [ medium voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Irène Fuerison (1875 - 1931), "Les heures du soir", op. 50 no. 6 [ medium voice and piano ], from Les heures claires, les heures d'après midi, les heures du soir, no. 6, Gand, Éd. Struyf [sung text not yet checked]
- by G. Lange-Clairny , "Lorsque tu fermeras mes yeux", published 1921 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Édition J. Hamelle [sung text not yet checked]
- by Guy Morançon (1927 - 2025), "Lorsque tu fermeras", 1945 [ medium voice and piano ], from Deux mélodies, no. 1 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Jacques Guillaume de Sauville de la Presle (1888 - 1969), "Heure du soir", 1922, published 1923 [ medium voice and piano ], from Les Heures, no. 3, Éd. Rouart, Lerolle & Cie (Salabert) [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Grant Hicks) , copyright © 2026, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2017-05-10
Line count: 16
Word count: 128
When you close my eyes to the light, Kiss them lingeringly, for they will have given you All that can remain of passionate love In the last glance of their last fervor. In the motionless glare of the funeral torch, Lean toward their farewell your beautiful, sad face To impress lastingly upon them the only image That they will hold on to in the grave. And let me feel, before the coffin is nailed shut, Our hands joined together on the pure white bed And, beside my brow on the pale cushions, Let your cheek rest one final time. And let me then go far away with my heart, Which will keep for you a flame so strong That even through the packed and lifeless earth The other dead will feel its burning!
About the headline (FAQ)
Translations of titles:
"Heure du soir" = "Evening Hour"
"Les heures du soir" = "The Evening Hours"
"Lorsque tu fermeras" = "When you close"
"Lorsque tu fermeras mes yeux" = "When you close my eyes"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2026 by Grant Hicks, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Émile Verhaeren (1855 - 1916), no title, appears in Les heures du soir, no. 26
This text was added to the website: 2026-02-07
Line count: 16
Word count: 133