by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941)
Translation by André Gide (1869 - 1951)
Light, my light, the world‑filling light
Language: English after the Bangla (Bengali)
Our translations: GER
Light, my light, the world-filling light, the eye-kissing light, heart-sweetening light! Ah, the light dances, my darling, at the centre of my life; the light strikes, my darling, the chords of my love; the sky opens, the wind runs wild, laughter passes over the earth. The butterflies spread their sails on the sea of light. Lilies and jasmines surge up on the crest of the waves of light. The light is shattered into gold on every cloud, my darling, and it scatters gems in profusion. Mirth spreads from leaf to leaf, my darling, and gladness without measure. The heaven's river has drowned its banks and the flood of joy is abroad.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in Gitanjali, no. 57, first published 1913
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 57
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Geoffrey Wieting
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 13
Word count: 111
Lumière! ma lumière! Matches original text
Language: French (Français) after the English
Our translations: ENG
Lumière ! ma lumière ! lumière emplissant le monde, lumière baiser des yeux, douceur du cœur, lumière ! Ah ! la lumière danse au centre de ma vie ! Bien-aimé, mon amour retentit sous la frappe de la lumière. Les cieux s'ouvrent ; le vent bondit ; un rire a parcouru la terre. Sur l'océan de la lumière, mon bien-aimé, le papillon ouvre son aile. La crête des vagues de lumière brille de lys et de jasmins. La lumière, ô mon bien-aimé, brésille l'or sur les nuées ; elle éparpille à profusion les pierreries. Une jubilation s'étend de feuille en feuille, ô mon amour ! une aise sans mesure. Le fleuve du ciel a noyé ses rives ; tout le flot de joie est dehors.
Composition:
- Set to music by Gary Bachlund (b. 1947), "Lumière! ma lumière!", 2006 [ high voice or medium voice and piano ], from Trois Chansons de Gidé, no. 3
Text Authorship:
- by André Gide (1869 - 1951), no title, appears in Gitanjali (L'Offrande lyrique), no. 57, first published 1914
Based on:
- a text in English by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in Gitanjali, no. 57, first published 1913
Based on:
- a text in Bangla (Bengali) by Rabindranath Tagore (1861 - 1941), no title, appears in গীতাঞ্জলি (Gitanjali), no. 57
See other settings of this text.
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Qi Feng Wu) , copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Geoffrey Wieting
This text was added to the website: 2003-12-22
Line count: 13
Word count: 115