Songs from "Chamber Music" by James Joyce

Be not sad because all men
    Prefer a lying clamour before you: 
Sweetheart, be at peace again -- -
    Can they dishonour you?

They are sadder than all tears;
    Their lives ascend as a continual sigh. 
Proudly answer to their tears:
    As they deny, deny.

Text Authorship:

• by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 19, first published 1907

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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

Rain has fallen all the day.
O come among the laden trees:
The leaves lie thick upon the way
Of [mem'ries.]1

Staying a little by the way
Of [mem'ries]1 shall we depart.
Come, my beloved, where I may
Speak to your heart.

Text Authorship:

• by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 32, first published 1907

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• GER German (Deutsch) (Walter Riemer) , "Es hat geregnet", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• SPA Spanish (Español) (Sol Crespo) , copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Szymanowski: "memories"

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

Lightly come or lightly go: 
  Though thy heart presage thee woe, 
Vales and many a wasted sun, 
  Oread, let thy laughter run, 
Till the irreverent mountain air 
Ripple all thy flying hair. 

Lightly, lightly - ever so: 
  Clouds that wrap the vales below 
At the hour of evenstar 
  Lowliest attendants are 
Love and laughter song-confessed 
When the heart is heaviest.

Text Authorship:

• by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), no title, appears in Chamber Music, no. 25, first published 1907

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

Lean out of the window,
  Goldenhair,
I heard you singing
  A merry air.

My book is closed;
  I read no more,
Watching the fire dance
  On the floor.

I have left my book,
  I have left my room,
For I heard you singing
  Through the gloom,

Singing and singing
  A merry air.
Lean out of the window,
  Goldenhair.

Text Authorship:

• by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 5, first published 1907

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
• IRI Irish (Gaelic) [singable] (Gabriel Rosenstock) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

My dove, my beautiful one, 
  Arise, arise! 
  The night-dew lies 
Upon my lips and eyes. 

The odorous winds are weaving 
  A music of sighs: 
  Arise, arise, 
My dove, my beautiful one! 

I wait by the cedar tree, 
  My sister, my love. 
  White breast of the dove, 
My breast shall be your bed. 

The pale dew lies 
  Like a veil on my head. 
  My fair one, my fair dove, 
Arise, arise!1

Text Authorship:

• by James Joyce (1882 - 1941), appears in Chamber Music, no. 14, first published 1907

See other settings of this text.

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

• FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

View original text (without footnotes)
¹ Szymanowski adds "My dove, my beautiful one!"

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]