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... Si l'enfant repose, Un ange tout rose, Que la nuit seule on peut voir, Viendra lui dire : "Bonsoir !" Si l'enfant est sage, Sur son doux visage La Vierge se penchera, Et longtemps lui parlera. Si mon enfant m'aime, Dieu dira lui-même : "J'aime cet enfant qui dort ; Qu'on lui porte un rêve d'or ! ... "Mettez-lui des ailes Comme aux tourterelles, Pour venir dans mon soleil Jouer jusqu'à son réveil ! ... "Brodez-lui des voiles Avec mes étoiles, Pour qu'il navigue en bateau Sur mon lac d'azur et d'eau ! ... "Mais je veux qu'il dorme Et qu'il se conforme Au silence des oiseaux Dans leurs maisons de roseaux ! "Car si l'enfant pleure, On entendra l'heure Tinter partout qu'un enfant A fait ce que Dieu défend ! ... "Et sa tendre mère, Dans sa nuit amère, Pour son ingrat nourrisson Ne saura plus de chanson !
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 2,3,4,7,10,12,13,15 of the original text.
Note: the poem was first published in Le musée des familles, August 1835.
Notes
Stanza 7, line 2: in the Doré score there is a typo: it has "aux tourterelle" instead of "aux tourterelles".
Stanza 12, line 4: in the Doré score there is a typo: it has "leurs maison" instead of "leurs maisons"
Composition:
- Set to music by Ernest Doré (1830 - 1884), "Dormeuse", op. 2, published [1854], stanzas 2,3,4,7,10,12,13,15 [ medium voice and piano ], Paris, Éd. 'Au Ménestrel' Heugel
Score: Société des études Marceline Desbordes-Valmore [external link]
Text Authorship:
- by Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786 - 1859), "Dormeuse", written 1835, appears in Pauvres Fleurs, first published 1835
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Ahmed E. Ismail) , "Cradle song after an old air", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Michael P Rosewall) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 76
Word count: 328
... 2 If my babe will go to bed, Then an angel dressed in red You’ll see when I douse the light; He’ll peek out and say: “Good night!” 4 If you love me, pray, God himself will say: When this child does what he’s told, I’ll bring him a dream of gold. 7 He will rise on wings, Like the dove that sings, High enough to reach the sun And dance ‘til the night is done. ... 13 No more crying, not one tear, Or the clock chime you will hear, Ringing when a child is bad Or does things to make God sad. ... 3 If you lie down quietly, Soon above your bed you’ll see Mother Mary bending near, Whisp’ring blessings in your ear. ... ... ...
Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 2,3,4,7,10,12,13,15 of the original text.
Note: this is a translation of Bizet's version.
Text Authorship:
- Singable translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2024 by Michael P Rosewall, (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Marceline Desbordes-Valmore (1786 - 1859), "Dormeuse", written 1835, appears in Pauvres Fleurs, first published 1835
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This text was added to the website: 2024-05-06
Line count: 40
Word count: 239