L'adieu de McPherson | Adieu, sombres et puissants donjons

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by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796)

Translation © by Pierre Mathé

Macpherson's farewell

(Sung text for setting by J. Haydn)

See original

Language: Scottish (Scots)

Our translations: FRE

Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong,
The wretch's destinie!
McPherson's time will not be long,
On yonder gallows-tree.
   Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,
   Sae dauntingly gae'd he:
   He play'd a spring, and danc'd it round
   Below the gallows-tree.

O what is death but parting breath?
On many a bloody plain
I've dar'd his face, and in this place
I scorn him yet again!
   Sae rantingly, sae wantonly...

 ... 

I've liv'd a life of sturt and strife; 
I die by treacherie:
It burns my heart I must depart
And not avenged be.
   Sae rantingly, sae wantonly...

Now farewell, light, thou sunshine bright,
And all beneath the sky!
May coward shame distain his name,
The wretch that dares not die!
   Sae rantingly, sae wantonly...

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-5 of the original text.

sturt = trouble

Composition:

(Franz) Joseph Haydn

Text Authorship:

by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "McPherson's Farewell", title 2: "Song - M'Pherson’s Farewell"

See other settings of this text.

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

CZE Czech (Čeština) (Josef Václav Sládek) , "Mac Phersonovo loučení"
FRE French (Français) (Pierre Mathé) , "L'adieu de McPherson", copyright © 2014, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2003-11-19
Line count: 28
Word count: 155

L'adieu de McPherson

(Sung text translation for setting by J. Haydn)

See original

Language: French (Français) after the Scottish (Scots)

Adieu, sombres et puissants donjons,
Destinée du misérable !
Le temps de McPherson ne sera pas long,
Sur l'arbre-gibet là-bas.
  Refrain :  Extravagant, badinant,
  Intrépide, il avança :
  Il joua un printemps, et dansa
  Sous les arbres-gibets.

Oh, qu'est la mort sinon un souffle qui s'en va ?
Sur bien des plaines ensanglantées
Je l'ai défiée en face, et à cet endroit
Je la méprise encore !
  Refrain

 ... 

J'ai vécu une vie de troubles et de disputes ;
Je meurs par traîtrise :
Cela me brûle le cœur de partir
Et de ne pas être vengé.
  Refrain

Maintenant, adieu lumière, à toi lumineux soleil,
et à tout ce qui est sous le ciel !
Que la honte du couard souille le nom
Du misérable qui n'ose mourir !
  Refrain

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-2,4-5 of the original text.

J. Haydn a mis en musique les strophes 1-2, 4-5.

Text Authorship:

Translation from Scottish (Scots) to French (Français) copyright © 2014 by Pierre Mathé, (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 Scottish (Scots) by Robert Burns (1759 - 1796), title 1: "McPherson's Farewell", title 2: "Song - M'Pherson’s Farewell"
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This text was added to the website: 2014-10-22
Line count: 28
Word count: 146