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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.
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:
- by Joachim du Bellay (1525 - c1560) [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 Roland de Lassus (1532 - 1594), "La nuit froide et sombre", 1576. [4v, a cappella] [text verified 1 time]
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, 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.
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:
- a text in French (Français) by Joachim du Bellay (1525 - c1560)
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 12
Word count: 51