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Lorsqu'elle est entrée, il m'a semblé Que le mensonge traînait aux plis de sa jupe ; La lueur de ses grands yeux mentait, Et dans la musique de sa voix, Quelque chose d'étranger vibrait. C'étaient les doux mots que je connais si bien, Mais ils me faisaient mal et entraient en moi doulouresement. Qui donc a usé son regard ? Qui donc a fané la rougeur de sa bouche ? D'où vient cette lassitude heureuse Qui semble avoir brisé son corps Comme une fleur trop aimée du soleil ? Oh ! torturer une à une les veines de son cher corps ! L'anéantir et le consumer, ensevelir sa chair Dans ma chair, avec la joie amère De l'impossible pardon ! Tout à l'heure ses mains plus délicates que des fleurs Se poseront sur mes yeux et tisseront le voile de l'oubli... Alors mon sang rebattra, les plaies rouges De mon cœur saigneront, et le sang montera, Noyant son mensonge, Et toute ma peine.
Text Authorship:
- by Claude Achille Debussy (1862 - 1918)
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Claude Achille Debussy (1862 - 1918), "Lorsqu'elle est entrée", L. 101/(94) no. 2 (1899â1902) [ voice and piano ], from Nuits blanches, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (T. P. (Peter) Perrin) , "When she first appeared", copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-12-09
Line count: 22
Word count: 156
When she first appeared I felt deceit was caught in the folds of her skirt; her large eyes glowed with falsehood; and in her voice's music sounded something remote, inhuman. None but sweet words I know so well, but which, when I absorb them, are harsh and wounding. What then has dulled her glance? What then has faded her mouth's redness? What is the source of the cherished weariness that seems to have burned out her body like a flower too much loved by the sun? Oh, to torment one by one the channels of her loved body! To wreck it, devour it, to bury her flesh in my flesh, know the bitter joy of no chance of forgiveness. Soon her hands, more delicate than flowers, will cover my eyes and weave oblivion's veil . . . Then my blood will rekindle, my heart's red wounds will bleed, and my blood rise up to drown her deceit and all my sorrow.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2011 by T. P. (Peter) Perrin, (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 Claude Achille Debussy (1862 - 1918)
This text was added to the website: 2011-10-07
Line count: 22
Word count: 161
