by
Armand Silvestre (1837 - 1901)
Complainte
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG
Je pars ! Adieu, ma chère âme,
Garde bien mon souvenir !
-- Quoi ! [sitôt partir, ma Dame !]1
Ne devez-vous revenir ?
-- Si -- je reviendrai peut-être ;
Si -- bien sûr je reviendrai ...
Va m'attendre à la fenêtre ;
De plus loin te reverrai.
J'attendis à la fenêtre
Le retour tant espéré,
Mais, ni bien sûr, ni peut-être,
Ni jamais la reverrai!
Bien fol qui croit quand [sa Dame]2
Lui jure de revenir.
Je meurs ! -- Adieu, ma chère âme !
J'ai gardé ton souvenir.
View original text (without footnotes)
Confirmed with Armand Silvestre, Rimes neuves et vieilles, Paris, E. Dentu, 1866, pages 76-77.
1 Massenet: "si tôt partir, madame"
2 Massenet: "une dame"
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
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This text (or a part of it) is used in a work
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Jules Massenet.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Peter Low) , "Farewell (Lament)", copyright © 2002, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 86
Farewell (Lament)
Language: English  after the French (Français)
I'm off! Good-bye, my dear,
remember me well!
- What? Leaving so soon, madam?
Won't you be returning?
- Yes, perhaps I will.
Yes, of course I'll be back.
Wait for me at the window;
I'll see you from a distance.
I waited at the window
for her hoped-for return.
But neither "of course" nor "perhaps"
nor ever will I see her again!
When a woman swears she'll return,
only a foolish man believes her.
I'm dying! Good-bye, my dear!
Yes, I've remembered you!
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2002 by Peter Low, (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.
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Based on:
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 16
Word count: 84