by Pierre-Jules-Théophile Gautier (1811 - 1872)
Translation © by Emily Ezust

Reviens! Reviens!
 (Sung text for setting by F. David)
 See original
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  CAT ENG GER ITA
Reviens, reviens, ma bien-aimée !
Comme une fleur loin du soleil,
La fleur de ma vie est fermée,
Loin de ton sourire vermeil.

Entre nos cœurs tant de distance ;
Que d'espace entre nos baisers.
Ô sort amer ! ô dure absence !
Ô grands désirs inapaisés !

D'ici là-bas que de campagnes,
Que de villes et de hameaux,
Que de vallons et de montagnes,
À lasser le pied des chevaux !

Au pays qui me prend ma belle,
Hélas ! si je pouvais aller ;
Et si mon corps avait une aile
Comme mon âme pour voler !

Par-dessus les vertes collines,
Les montagnes au front d'azur,
Les champs rayés et les ravines,
J'irais d'un vol rapide et sûr.

 ... 

Ah ! dis, mon âme, à cette belle :
« Tu sais bien qu'il compte les jours !
Ô ma colombe ! à tire d'aile,
Retourne au nid de nos amours. »

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5,8-9 of the original text.

Composition:

Text Authorship:

See other settings of this text.

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

  • CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English [singable] (Samuel Byrne) , "Absence"
  • ENG English (Emily Ezust) , copyright © 2015
  • GER German (Deutsch) (Bertram Kottmann) , copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ITA Italian (Italiano) (Enrico Magnani) , "Assenza", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Pierre Mathé [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 32
Word count: 190

Language: English  after the French (Français) 
Return, return, my beloved!
Like a flower far from the sun,
The flower of my life is shut,
Far from your rosy smile!

Between our hearts such distance!
Such space between our kisses!
O bitter destiny! O harsh absence! 
O great, unappeasable desires!

Between here and there what lands,
What cities and hamlets,
What valleys and montains,
To exhaust the feet of horses!

To the land that has taken my love
Ah! if only I could go;
If only my body had wings
With which to fly, like my soul!

Over our green hills,
Over mountains with azure brows,
Over scraped fields and ravines,
I would go in rapid and secure flight.

 ... 

And say, my soul, to this beauty:
"You know well that he is counting the days!
O my dove! Take flight
And return to the nest of our loves."

About the headline (FAQ)

Note: the text above is taken from stanzas 1-5,8-9 of the original text.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2015 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.


Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


This text was added to the website: 2015-01-28
Line count: 32
Word count: 191