Memorial

Translations © by Jean-Pierre Granger

Song Cycle by Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912)

View original-language texts alone: Poème du souvenir

1. Lève‑toi
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Lève-toi, chère ensevelie !
Déchire ton linceuil de fleurs.
Tu n'as pas oublié mes pleurs ?
-- La plus douce larme s'oublie.

Je te retrouve un peu pâlie :
Qui t'a pris tes chères couleurs ?
-- J'ai longtemps dormi sous des fleurs,
Et le plus doux charme s'oublie !

Je ne sais par quelle folie,
Je t'aime encore sous tes pâleurs ?
Viens !... les roses boiront tes pleurs !
-- Le chemin des roses l'oublie !

Je meurs de ta mélancholie.
Viennent de nouvelles douleurs !
C'est le printemps ! Cueillons des fleurs !
Lève-toi, chère ensevelie !

Text Authorship:

  • by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901), "Réveil", Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1872

Go to the general single-text view

by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
1. Arise
Language: English 
Arise, dear buried one,
Tear up your shroud of flowers!
Haven't you forgotten my tears?
One can forget the softest tear.

I meet you again, you've grown a little pale;
Who took away your beloved colours?
For a long time have I slept under the flowers,
And one can forget the softest charm!

Ah! I don't know if I am a fool, 
I still love your paleness;
Come, roses will drink your tears!
The road of roses forgets it.

I die from your melancholy!
New pains are to come!
It is springtime! Let us pick up flowers!
Arise, dear buried one!

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "Lève-toi" = "Arise"

Note: the translator has released this translation into the public domain.



This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 16
Word count: 101

Translation Jean-Pierre Granger
2. L'air du soir emportait
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
L'air du soir emportait sous les feuillages sombres,
Comme un parfum du ciel, l'âme des voluptés ;
Les rêves se levaient partout avec les ombres ;
-- Celle qui fut mon cœur était à mes côtés.

Nous suivions les grands bois, parmi l'herbe mouillée,
L'air au front, l'œil au ciel, la bruyère aux genoux,
Et comme elle sortait, blanche, de la feuillée,
Une source se prit à gémir près de nous.

Ce sanglot sans pitié, poursuivant mon oreille,
S'en fut jusqu'à mon cœur joyeux et l'affligea :
-- La santé fleurissait, sa beauté sans pareille,
Et je cherchais pourquoi l'on pleurait déjà !

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
2. The evening breeze was carried away
Language: English 
The evening breeze was carried away under the dark canopy,
Like a scent from the sky, the soul of sensual pleasures;
Dreams rose everywhere with the ghosts;
She who was my heart was by my side.

We walked along the great woods on wet grass,
A breeze on [our] foreheads, [our] eyes to the sky, the heath at our knees.
And as it issued out, white, from the leaves,
A spring started moaning near us.

This merciless sobbing haunting my ear
Went right to my heart and made it grieve;
Health flourished, its beauty without equal;
And I tried to find why we were crying again!

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "L'air du soir emportait" = "The evening breeze was carried away"

Note: the translator has released this translation into the public domain.



This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 12
Word count: 106

Translation Jean-Pierre Granger
3. Un souffle de parfums
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Un souffle de parfums s'élève
Des taillis profonds, où son rêve
Suivait le vol d'un long espoir ...
Me vient-il de sa lèvre amie ?
-- Non ! ce sont les fleurs que le soir
Mêle à bruyère endormie.

Une musique douce et frèle
Sur mes pas murmure pour elle
L'adieu à tout ce qu'elle fuit...
Mon Dieu, j'entends sa voix dans l'ombre.
-- Non ! c'est la chanson que la nuit
Apprend tout bas au grand bois sombre.

Nuit auguste, bois solitaire
Qui voilez d'un double mystère
Le secret des bonheurs passés,
Rendez-moi l'haleine embaumée,
Et les cheveux des fleurs tressés,
Et la voix de la bien-aimée !

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
3. A breath of perfume
Language: English 
A breath of perfume rises
From the shrubs, where its dream
Followed the flight of long hope;
Does it come from your lips, my beloved?
No! Those are the flowers that the night
Blends with the sleeping heath.

A soft and frail music
Whispers for her as I walk
The farewell to all she flees;
My God! I hear her voice in the shadows!
No! It is the song that the night
Teaches quietly to the dark wood.

Impressive night, lonely wood,
Who steals from a double mystery
The secret of past happiness,
Give me back the perfumed breath,
And the hair of braided flowers,
And the voice of my beloved.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "Un souffle de parfums" = "A breath of perfume"

Note: the translator has released this translation into the public domain.



This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 18
Word count: 111

Translation Jean-Pierre Granger
4. Dans l'air plein de fils de soie
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Dans l'air plein de fils de soie,
Montaient les lys palpitants,
Les lys que l'aube déploie:
Ma mie était toute joie...
Oh ! le beau jour de printemps !

L'air où flottait la caresse
D'un clair de lune argenté,
Baignait ma blanche maîtresse.
Ma mie était toute ivresse...
Oh ! la douce nuit d'été !

L'air froid qui siffle à ma porte,
Seul, bat mon seuil entr'ouvert.
Ma plainte, le vent l'emporte :
Ma mie est peut-être morte !...
Oh! le triste soir d'hiver !

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
4. In the air filled with silk threads
Language: English 
In the air filled with silk threads
Rise the throbbing lilies,
Lilies spread by the dawn:
My sweetheart was filled with happiness!
Oh! The beautiful day of springtime!

The air where floats the caress
Of a silvery moonlight
Surrounded my white Mistress;
My sweetheart was in deep euphoria!
Oh! The soft summer night!

The cold air that whistles at my door
Beats alone my half-opened door;
My complaints, the wind carries them away!
Sweetheart may be dead!
Oh! the sad winter eve!

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "Dans l'air plein de fils de soie" = "In the air filled with silk threads"

Note: the translator has released this translation into the public domain.



This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 15
Word count: 82

Translation Jean-Pierre Granger
5. Pour qu'à l'espérance
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
Pour qu'à l'espérance il ne cède,
J'ai muré mon cœur révolté
Dans la morne fidélité
Du souvenir qui le possède.

Vers l'horizon où l'aube a lui,
Pour qu'un vain rêve ne l'emporte,
Comme une inexorable porte,
J'ai fermé le Passé sur lui.

J'ai dit : Ma part me fut comptée
D'aimer sans en pouvoir mourir.
-- L'ombre est douce à qui veut souffrir ;
Que me ferait l'aube enchantée ?

Puisque ne peut m'être rendu
L'heur de revoir le doux visage
Qui fut ma joie et mon courage
Et que, perdant, j'ai tout perdu !

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
5. So that my appalled heart doesn't yield to hope
Language: English 
So that my appalled heart doesn't yield to hope,
I have built a wall around it,
In the gloomy loyalty
To the memory that possesses it.

Toward the horizon where the Morning glowed,
In hope that no futile dream takes it away,
Like a unforgiving door,
I closed the Past to it.

I said: My fate has been set for me,
To love without being able to die from it;
The shade is sweet for he who wants to suffer.
What would the enchanted Morning do to me? --

Since the hour cannot be given back to me
To see again that gentle face
That was my Joy and my Courage;
[For] by losing it, I lost everything!

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "Pour qu'à l'espérance" = "So that my appalled heart doesn't yield to hope"

Note: the translator has released this translation into the public domain.



This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 16
Word count: 117

Translation Jean-Pierre Granger
6. Épitaphe
 (Sung text)
Language: French (Français) 
 ... 
Souvenir éternel, regret inconsolé,
Amour qui fus ma vie et qui t'es envolé,
 ...

Text Authorship:

Go to the general single-text view

by Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
6. Epitaph
Language: English 
[ ... ]
Eternal memory, unsoothing regret,
Love that was my life and that flew away.
[ ... ]

Text Authorship:

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view

Translation of title "Épitaphe" = "Epitaph"

Note: the translator has released this translation into the public domain.



This text was added to the website: 2010-10-21
Line count: 12
Word count: 15

Translation Jean-Pierre Granger