French (Français) translations of Six Songs, opus 55

by Adolph Martin Foerster (1854 - 1927)

1. Love's philosophy  [sung text not yet checked]
by Adolph Martin Foerster (1854 - 1927), "Love's philosophy", op. 55 (Six Songs) no. 4
Language: English 
The [fountains mingle]1 with the River 
  And the Rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix for ever
  With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
  All things by a law divine
In one [another's being]2 mingle.
  Why not I with thine? -

See the mountains kiss high Heaven
  And the waves clasp one another;
No sister-flower would be forgiven
  If it disdained its brother;
And the [sunlight clasps]3 the earth
  And the moonbeams kiss the sea:
What [are all these kissings]4 worth
  If thou kiss not me?

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1 Gounod: "fountain mingles"
2 Delius: "spirit meet and"
3 Gounod: "sunbeams clasp"
4 Delius: "is all this sweet work"; Gounod: "are all these kisses"

by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792 - 1822)
1.
Language: French (Français) 
Les sources se mêlent avec la rivière
Et les rivières avec l'océan,
Les vents du ciel se mélangent pour toujours
Avec une douce émotion ;
Rien au monde n'est seul ;
Toutes les choses par une loi divine
Se mêlent l'une dans l'autre.
Pourquoi pas moi avec toi ?

Regarde les montagnes embrasser le ciel élevé
Et les vagues se serrer l'une l'autre ;
Aucune fleur jumelle ne serait pardonnée
Si elle dédaignait son frère ;
Et le soleil étreint la terre
Et les rayons de la lune embrassent la mer :
Que valent tous ces baisers
Si tu ne m'embrasses pas ?

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  • Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2009 by Guy Laffaille, (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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This text was added to the website: 2009-06-21
Line count: 16
Word count: 97

Translation © by Guy Laffaille