An alley in the Luxembourg Gardens | She passed, the girl

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by Gérard Labrunie (1808 - 1855), as Gérard de Nerval

Translation © by David Jonathan Justman

Une allée du Luxembourg

(Sung text for setting by G. Auric)

See original

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Elle a passé, la jeune fille
Vive et preste comme un oiseau :
À la main une fleur qui brille,
À la bouche un refrain nouveau.

C'est peut-être la seule au monde
Dont le cœur au mien répondrait,
Qui venant dans ma nuit profonde
D'un seul regard l'éclairerait !

Mais non, - ma jeunesse est finie...
Adieu, doux rayon qui m'as lui, -
Parfum, jeune fille, harmonie...
Le bonheur passait, -- il a fui!

Composition:

Georges Auric

Cinq Poèmes de Gérard de Nerval

Text Authorship:

by Gérard Labrunie (1808 - 1855), as Gérard de Nerval, "Une Allée du Luxembourg", written 1832-35, appears in Odelettes rythmiques et lyriques

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

ENG English (David Jonathan Justman) , "An alley in the Luxembourg Gardens", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 70

An alley in the Luxembourg Gardens

(Sung text translation for setting by G. Auric)

See original

Language: English after the French (Français)

She passed, the girl, 
as lively and swift as a bird:
In her hand a brilliant flower,
In her mouth a new refrain.
 
Perhaps she's the only one in the world,
Whose heart would respond to mine,
Who, approaching in my deep night,
Would light it with a single look.
 
But no, - my youth is finished...
Adieu, gentle beam which enlightened me...
Perfume, girl, harmony...
Happiness has passed, - it has fled!

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © by David Jonathan Justman, (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 Gérard Labrunie (1808 - 1855), as Gérard de Nerval, "Une Allée du Luxembourg", written 1832-35, appears in Odelettes rythmiques et lyriques
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This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 71