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J'allais par les chemins perfides, Douloureusement incertain. Vos chères mains furent mes guides. Si pâle à l'horizon lointain Luisait un faible espoir d'aurore ; Votre regard fut le matin. Nul bruit, sinon son pas sonore, N'encourageait le voyageur. Votre voix me dit: "Marche encore!" Mon coeur craintif, mon sombre coeur Pleurait, seul, sur la triste voie ; L'amour, délicieux vainqueur, Nous a réunis dans la joie.
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, written 1870, appears in La bonne chanson, no. 20, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1870 [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 Tony Aubin (1907 - 1981), "J'allais par les chemins perfides", published 1932 [voice and piano], from Six poèmes de Verlaine, no. 5, Paris, Heugel [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Charles Bordes (1863 - 1909), "La bonne chanson", 1889, published 1907, first performed 1889 [high voice and piano], Paris, Édition mutuelle [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Lucien Darras (b. 1922), "Vos chères mains furent mes guides", published 1945 [voice and piano], Paris, Rousselot [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924), "J'allais par les chemins perfides", op. 61 no. 4, published 1892-3 [voice and piano], from La bonne chanson, no. 4, Paris, Hamelle [ sung text checked 1 time]
- by Henry Franklin Belknap Gilbert (1868 - 1928), "L'amour vainqueur", published 1908 [voice and piano], Paris, Bourlant-Ladam [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Raoul Laparra (1876 - 1943), "La bonne chanson", published 1907 [voice and piano], Paris, Hachette [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
- by Frédéric-Albert Le Rey (1858 - 1942), "Consolatrice", published 1925 [voice and piano], Paris, Sénart [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Laura L. Nagle) , "I was walking along treacherous paths", copyright © 2007, (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: 13
Word count: 66
I was walking along treacherous paths, Painfully uncertain. Your dear hands were my guides. So pale on the distant horizon Shone a faint hope of dawn; Your eyes were the morning. No sound other than his ringing footstep Encouraged the voyager. Your voice said to me: "Walk on!" My timid heart, my somber heart, Cried, alone, on the dreary road; Love, delightful conqueror, United us in joy.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2007 by Laura L. Nagle, (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 Paul Verlaine (1844 - 1896), no title, written 1870, appears in La bonne chanson, no. 20, Paris, Éd. Alphonse Lemerre, first published 1870
This text was added to the website: 2007-01-29
Line count: 13
Word count: 67