by
Joachim du Bellay (1525 - c1560)
La nuit froide et sombre
Language: French (Français)
Available translation(s): ENG ENG
La nuit froide et sombre
couvrant d'obscure ombre
la terre et les cieux,
Aussi doux que miel
fait couler du ciel
le sommeil aux yeux.
Puis le jour [luisant]1
au labeur duisant
sa lueur expose,
Et d'un tein divers
ce grand univers
tapisse et compose.
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Lassus: "suivant"
Old French version:
La nuict froide & sombre
Couvrant d'obscure ombre
La terre & les cieux,
Aussi doux que miel,
Fait couler du ciel
Le sommeil aux yeux.
Puis le jour luisant
Au labeur duisant,
Sa lueur expose,
Et d'un tein divers,
Ce grand univers
Tapisse & compose.
Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Jonathan Justman) , title 1: "The cold and somber night", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "Cold, dark night", copyright © 2013, (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: 12
Word count: 45
The cold and somber night
Language: English  after the French (Français)
The cold and somber night,
As sweet as honey,
Which covers with a dark shadow
The Earth and the skies,
Makes sleep roll down from the sky
Into people's eyes.
Then the glowing1 day,
Used to toil,
Exposes its glow,
And with a varied color
Weaves and composes
This great Universe.
View original text (without footnotes)
1 Lassus: "following"
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © by David Jonathan Justman, (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: 12
Word count: 51