by
Jean Racine (1639 - 1699)
Cantique sur le bonheur des justes et sur le malheur des réprouvés
See originalLanguage: French (Français)
Heureux, qui de la Sagesse
Attendant tout son secours,
N'a point mis en la Richesse
L'espoir de ses derniers jours.
La mort n'a rien qui l'étonne ;
Et dès que son Dieu l'ordonne,
Son âme prenant l'essor
S'élève d'un vol rapide
Vers la demeure, où réside
Son véritable trésor.
De quelle douleur profonde
Seront un jour pénétrés
Ces insensés, qui du monde,
Seigneur, vivent enivrés ;
Quand par une fin soudaine
Détrompés d'une ombre vaine,
Qui passe, et ne revient plus,
Leurs yeux du fond de l'abîme
Devant ton trône sublime
Verront briller tes Elus !
...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2 of the original text.
Composition:
Set to music by Reynaldo Hahn (1874 - 1947), "Cantique sur le bonheur des justes et sur le malheur des réprouvés", published 1896, stanzas 1-2 [ soprano or women's chorus and piano ], from Mélodies - 2ème volume, no. 2, Paris, Éd. Heugel
Text Authorship:
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , copyright © 2019, (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: 60
Word count: 271
Language: English after the French (Français)
Happy ones, who with Wisdom
Await all of Its help,
Who did not place in Wealth
The hope of their last days.
Death holds not he who surprises it;
And as soon as his God ordains him,
His soul takes flight,
He rises in a rapid flight
Toward the dwelling where resides
His true treasure.
With what profound pain
Will one day be penetrated
These fools, who with the world,
Lord, live intoxicated;
When by a sudden end
Disabused with a vain shadow
Which passes, and returns no more,
Their eyes from the bottom of the abyss
Before your sublime throne
Will see your elect shine!
...
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Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2 of the original text.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 by Garrett Medlock, (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 Jean Racine (1639 - 1699), "Cantique sur le bonheur des justes, et sur le malheur des reprouves", appears in Cantiques spirituels, no. 2
Go to the general single-text view
This text was added to the website: 2019-02-19
Line count: 60
Word count: 106
