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

Dans l'alcôve sombre
 (Sung text for setting by F. de la Tombelle)
 See original
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
Dans l'alcôve sombre,
Près d'un humble autel,
L'enfant dort à l'ombre
Du lit maternel,
Tandis qu'il repose,
Sa paupière rose,
Pour la terre close,
S'ouvre pour le ciel.

Il fait bien des rêves ;
Il voit par moments
Le sable des grèves
Plein de diamants,
Des soleils de flammes,
Et de belles dames
Qui portent des âmes
Dans leurs bras charmants.

Songe qui l'enchante !
Il voit des ruisseaux ;
Une voix qui chante
Sort du fond des eaux.
Ses sœurs sont plus belles ;
Son père est près d'elles ;
Sa mère a des ailes
Comme les oiseaux.

 ... 

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 !

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6 of the original text.

Composition:

    Set to music by Fernand de la Tombelle (1854 - 1928), "Dans l'alcôve sombre", published 1892, stanzas 1-3,6 [ high voice and piano ], Éd. Richault

Text Authorship:

  • by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Dans l'alcôve sombre", appears in Les Feuilles d'automne, no. 20, first published 1831

See other settings of this text.

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

In a somber alcove
 (Sung text translation for setting by F. de la Tombelle)
 See original
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
In a somber alcove
Near a humble altar,
A child sleeps in the shadow
Of his mother's bed;
while he rests,
his pink eyelids,
shut to the world,
are open to heaven.

His dreams are with him deeply;
he sees at various times
the sand of a pebbly beach
covered in diamonds,
the sun in flames,
and beautiful ladies
who are carrying souls
in their lovely arms.

It is a dream that will enchant you!
He sees brooks; 
A voice sings out
from the depths of the waters.
His sisters are more lovely;
His father is there with them ;
His mother has wings
like birds do.

 ... 

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!"

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-3,6 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.
    licenses@email.lieder.example.net

Based on:

  • a text in French (Français) by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Dans l'alcôve sombre", appears in Les Feuilles d'automne, no. 20, first published 1831
    • Go to the text page.

Go to the general single-text view


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

Gentle Reminder

This website began in 1995 as a personal project by Emily Ezust, who has been working on it full-time without a salary since 2008. Our research has never had any government or institutional funding, so if you found the information here useful, please consider making a donation. Your help is greatly appreciated!
–Emily Ezust, Founder

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