by Georges Delaquys (1880 - 1970)
Translation © by Korin Kormick

Le Retour
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG ENG
Ulysse part la voile au vent,
Vers Ithaque aux ondes chéries,
Avec des bercements la vague roule et plie.
Au large de son cœur la mer aux vastes eaux
Où son œil suit les blancs oiseaux
Egrène au loin des pierreries.

Ulysse part la voile au vent,
Vers Ithaque aux ondes chéries !

Penché œil grave et cœur battant 
Sur le bec d'or de sa galère
Il se rit, quand le flot est noir, de sa colère
Car là-bas son cher fils pieux et fier attend
Après les combats éclatants,
La victoire aux bras de son père.
Il songe, œil grave et cœur battant
Sur le bec d'or de sa galère.

Ulysse part la voile au vent,
Vers Ithaque aux ondes chéries.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada and the U.S., but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Text 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 or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Korin Kormick) , "The return", copyright © 2004, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
  • ENG English (Faith J. Cormier) , "The return", copyright © 2004, (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: 18
Word count: 121

The return
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
Ulysses leaves with wind in his sails,
Towards the cherished waves of Ithaca,
With rocking motions the billow rolls and folds.
To the offing of his heart the sea of vast waters,
Where his eye follows the white birds,
Drops away in the distance into faraway jewels.

Ulysses leaves with wind in his sails,
Towards the cherished waves of Ithaca!

Leaned over with a solemn eye and beating heart
On the golden bill of his galley
He laughs, when the surging tide is black, at his anger
Because over there his dear son, pious and proud, waits
After the clamoring battles,
For victory at the arm of his father.
He dreams, with a solemn eye and beating heart,
On the golden bill of his galley.

Ulysses leaves with wind in his sails,
Towards the cherished waves of Ithaca.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2004 by Korin Kormick, (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: 

Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2004-10-19
Line count: 18
Word count: 138