The Ox | This cherub sings hymns of praise

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by Wilhelm Albert Włodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki (1880 - 1918), as Guillaume Apollinaire

Translation © by Laura Prichard

Le Bœuf

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Ce chérubin dit la louange 
Du paradis, où, près des anges, 
Nous revivrons, mes chers amis 
Quand le bon Dieu l'aura permis.

First appeared in the revue La Phalange, June 15, 1908, in "La Marchande des quatre saisons ou le bestiaire mondain" no. 18 of 18, and later in the 1911 publication of "Le Bestiaire ou Cortège d'Orphée", Paris, Deplanche.

Note provided by Laura Prichard: In classical mythology, the ox is both a moon symbol (ridden by the goddess Diana/Artemis) and a sun symbol (representing kingly power and strength). Cherubim are sometimes depicted as winged oxen in European art.

Text Authorship:

by Wilhelm Albert Włodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki (1880 - 1918), as Guillaume Apollinaire, "Le Bœuf", written 1908, appears in Le Bestiaire, ou Cortège d'Orphée, no. 30, first published 1908 [author's text checked 1 time 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 Claude Ballif (1924 - 2004), "Le Bœuf", op. 1b no. 30 (1945-48), published 1994 [ voice and piano ], from Le Cortège d’Orphée, no. 30, Édition Durand & Fils [sung text not yet checked]
by Louis Durey (1888 - 1979), "Le Bœuf", op. 17a no. 30 (1919), from Le Bestiaire, no. 30 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Rachel Laurin (b. 1961), "Le Bœuf", op. 22 no. 5 (1992), copyright © 1992 [ medium voice and piano ], from Le Bestiaire, no. 5 [sung text not yet checked]

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

ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "The Ox", copyright © 2023, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this page: Ted Perry

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 4
Word count: 22

The Ox

Language: English after the French (Français)

This cherub sings hymns of praise
Of paradise, where, near the angels, 
We’ll live again, my dear friends 
Whenever the good Lord allows.

Translator's note for line 1: The French word louange is a contraction of “louer” (to praise) and “ange” (angel).

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2023 by Laura Prichard, (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:

a text in French (Français) by Wilhelm Albert Włodzimierz Apolinary Kostrowicki (1880 - 1918), as Guillaume Apollinaire, "Le Bœuf", written 1908, appears in Le Bestiaire, ou Cortège d'Orphée, no. 30, first published 1908
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2023-08-25
Line count: 4
Word count: 23