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J'allais par des chemins perfides, Douloureusement incertain. Vos chères mains furent mes guides. Si pâle à l'horizon lointain Luisait un faible espoir d'aurore ; Votre regard fut le matin. Nul bruit, sinon son pas sonore, N'encourageait le voyageur. Votre voix me dit : "Marche encore !" Mon cœur craintif, mon sombre cœur Pleurait, seul, sur la triste voie ; L'amour, délicieux vainqueur, Nous a réunis dans la joie.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, written 1870, appears in La bonne chanson, no. 20, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1870 [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 Tony Aubin (1907 - 1981), "J'allais par des chemins perfides", 1932, published 1933 [ voice and piano ], from Six poèmes de Verlaine, no. 5, Paris, Heugel [sung text not yet checked]
- by Charles Bordes (1863 - 1909), "La bonne chanson", 1889, published 1907, first performed 1889 [ high voice and piano ], Paris, Édition mutuelle [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Lucien Darras (b. 1922), "Vos chères mains furent mes guides", published 1945 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Rousselot [sung text not yet checked]
- by Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924), "J'allais par des chemins perfides", op. 61 no. 4, published 1892-3 [ voice and piano ], from La bonne chanson, no. 4, Paris, Hamelle [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Henry Franklin Belknap Gilbert (1868 - 1928), "L'amour vainqueur", published 1908 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Bourlant-Ladam [sung text not yet checked]
- by Raoul Laparra (1876 - 1943), "La bonne chanson", published 1907 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Hachette [sung text not yet checked]
- by Frédéric-Albert Le Rey (1858 - 1942), "Consolatrice", published 1925 [ voice and piano ], Paris, Sénart [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Laura L. Nagle) , copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 13
Word count: 65
I was walking along treacherous paths, Painfully uncertain. Your dear hands were my guides. So pale on the distant horizon Shone a faint hope of dawn; Your eyes were the morning. No sound other than his ringing footstep Encouraged the voyager. Your voice said to me: "Walk on!" My timid heart, my somber heart, Cried, alone, on the dreary road; Love, delightful conqueror, United us in joy.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2007 by Laura L. Nagle, (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.
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Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, written 1870, appears in La bonne chanson, no. 20, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1870
This text was added to the website: 2007-01-29
Line count: 13
Word count: 67