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Dès le clair du jour, Marion court à l’église. «Où donc est le cierge Que j’offris hier À madame la Vierge Pour qu’elle soit en aide À mon amant sur la mer?» Le vieux saint de bois Répond à Marion: «La colombe blanche A pris en passant Le blanc cierge qui penche Pour en faire un rameau Où mettre son nid tremblant.» Dès le plein midi, Marion on grimpe à l’arbre, Y trouve le cierge Qu’elle offrit hier À madame la Vierge. «Mais où est donc la flamme d’or Qui change en le jour clair?» La colombe de l’arbre Répond à Marion: «Hier soir, un ange A pris en passant La lumière qui change Du cierge pour en faire Une étoile au firmament.» Dès le brun du soir, Marion monte au ciel, Y retrouve, étoile Parmi les élus, La lumière d’or pâle, Et s’y plaît et s’y mêle, Et jamais n’en descend plus. Dès le clair du jour, L’amant court à l’église. «Où est donc la belle À qui j’étais cher Et qui resta fidèle Pendant bien plus D’un an à son amant sur la mer?» Le vieux saint de bois Répond à l’amant: «Après les prières, Dans le frais jardin On l’a couchée en terre Sous un buisson de ronces, De houx et de romarin.» Dès le plein midi, L’amant vient au jardin, Y trouve sa mie Sous les fleurs de boux, Mais elle est morte et blêmie. «Où est donc son âme? Dites, fleurs, le savez-vous?» La fleur du tombeau Répond à l’amant! «Là-haut, elle habite Parmi les élus, L’étoile où palpite La lumière du cierge, Et jamais n’en descend plus.» Dès le brun du soir, L’amant monte au ciel, Y trouve l’étoile, Y voit ses amours, Et dans le clarté pâle, Ils se sont embrassés Et mariés pour toujours.
Authorship:
- by Catulle Mendès (1841 - 1909), "Les amants fidèles, où Le cierge dans le Paradis", written 1892, appears in Lieds de France, no. 11, Paris, Éd. Marpon & Flammarion, first published 1892 [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Louis-Charles-Bonaventure-Alfred Bruneau (1857 - 1934), "Les amants fidèles ou Le cierge dans le Paradis", 1892?, published 1892 [ high voice and piano ], from Dix Lieds de France, no. 4, Éd. Choudens [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , "The faithful lovers, or The altar candle in heaven", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2019-01-14
Line count: 70
Word count: 302
At the light of day, Marie runs to the church. “Where then is the altar candle That I offered yesterday To the Virgin That she might aid My lover on the sea?” The old wooden saint Answers Marie: “The white dove Took while passing through The white candle that leans To make a branch Where to place her shaky nest.” At the plain midday, Marie climbs the tree, And finds the candle That she offered yesterday To the Virgin. “But where is then the flame of gold That changes in the clear day?” The dove in the tree Answers Marie: “Yesterday evening, an angel Took while passing through The light that changes Of the candle to make A star in the firmament.” At the browning of the evening, Marie goes up to heaven, And finds, a star Among the chosen, The light of pale gold, And she liked it and she merged with it, And never comes down anymore. At the light of day, The lover runs to the church. “Where is then the beauty To whom I was beloved And who remained faithful During much more Than a year to her lover on the sea?” The old wooden saint Answers the lover: “After the prayers, In the cool garden We laid her in the earth Under a bush of brambles, Holly and rosemary.” At the plain midday, The lover comes to the garden, He finds his dear one Under the flowers of the bush, But she is dead and pale. “Where is then my soul? Say, flowers, do you know?” The flower of the tomb Answers the lover! “There, she lives Among the chosen, The star where twinkles The light of the altar candle, And never comes down anymore.” At the browning of evening, The lover goes up to heaven, He finds the star, He sees his love. And in the pale brightness They kissed And were married forever.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 by Garrett Medlock, (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 Catulle Mendès (1841 - 1909), "Les amants fidèles, où Le cierge dans le Paradis", written 1892, appears in Lieds de France, no. 11, Paris, Éd. Marpon & Flammarion, first published 1892
This text was added to the website: 2019-01-14
Line count: 70
Word count: 320