by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Enfant rêve encore
 (Sung text for setting by M. de Rothschild)
 See original
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
 ... 

Enfant, rêve encore !
Dors, ô mes amours !
Ta jeune âme ignore
Où s'en vont tes jours.
Comme une algue morte,
Tu vas ; que t'importe !
Le courant t'emporte,
Mais tu dors toujours !

Sans soin, sans étude,
Tu dors en chemin ;
Et l'inquiétude
A la froide main,
De son ongle aride,
Sur ton front candide
Qui n'a point de ride,
N'écrit pas : Demain !

 ... 

Cependant sa mère,
Prompte à le bercer,
Croit qu'une chimère
Le vient oppresser ;
Fière, elle l'admire,
L'entend qui soupire,
Et le fait sourire
Avec un baiser.

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 5-6,9 of the original text.

Composition:

Text Authorship:

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

  • CZE Czech (Čeština) (Jaroslav Vrchlický) , "Kde nízký oltář stojí…", Prague, first published 1877
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , no title, copyright ©


Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2004-01-12
Line count: 72
Word count: 270

Language: English  after the French (Français) 
 ... 

Child, awaken once more!
Sleep, o my loves!
Your young soul has no idea
where your days are going.
Like inert algae,
you go; what does it matter?
The current carries you,
but you are always asleep!

Without care, without consideration,
you sleep on this road;
And anxiety
with its cold hand
and dull talons
on your guileless brow
without a single wrinkle
Does not write "tomorrow!"

 ... 

Nevertheless, his mother,
eager to pamper him,
believes a chimera
has come to oppress him;
proudly she admires him,
listens to his sighs,
and makes him smile
with a kiss.

About the headline (FAQ)

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 5-6,9 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © by Emily Ezust

    Emily Ezust permits her translations to be reproduced without prior permission for printed (not online) programs to free-admission concerts only, provided the following credit is given:

    Translation copyright © by Emily Ezust,
    from the LiederNet Archive

    For any other purpose, please write to the e-mail address below to request permission and discuss possible fees.


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This text was added to the website: 2012-12-03
Line count: 72
Word count: 297