by
John Donne (1572 - 1631)
Oh might those sighes and teares return...
Language: English
Our translations: FRE GER
Oh might those sighes and teares return againe
Into my breast and eyes, which I have spent,
That I might in this holy discontent
Mourne with some fruit, as I have mourn'd in vaine;
In mine Idolatry what show'rs of rain
Mine eyes did waste? What griefs my heart did rent?
That sufferance was my sinne; now I repent
'Cause I did suffer, I must suffer paine.
Th'hydroptique drunkard, and night scouting thief,
The itchy lecher and self-tickling proud
Have the remembrance of past joyes, for relief
Of coming ills. To poore me is allow'd
No ease; for long, yet vehement griefe hath been
Th'effect and cause, the punishment and sinne.
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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):
- by (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Oh might those sighes and teares", op. 35 no. 3 (1945), published 1946 [ high voice and piano ], from The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Juliana Hall (b. 1958), "Oh might those sighes and teares", 2013, first performed 2014 [ tenor and piano ], from The Holy Sonnets of John Donne - 9 Songs for Tenor and Piano, no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , copyright © 2011, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- GER German (Deutsch) (Daniel Johannsen) , copyright © 2020, (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: 14
Word count: 111
Oh, puissent ces soupirs et ces larmes...
Language: French (Français) after the English
Oh, puissent ces soupirs et ces larmes retourner à nouveau
Dans mon cœur et les yeux, eux que j'ai dépensés,
Que je puisse dans ce saint mécontentement
Me désoler avec quelque fruit, puisque je me suis désolé en vain ;
Dans mon idolâtrie quelles averses de larmes
Mes yeux n'ont-ils pas versées ? Quels chagrins mon cœur n'a-t-il pas hébergés ?
Ces souffrances sont mon péché ; maintenant je me repens
Car j'ai souffert, je dois supporter la douleur.
L'ivrogne hydropique, et le voleur qui cherche dans la nuit,
Le débauché sans repos et le fier content de lui
Ont le souvenir de joies passées, pour le chagrin
Des maladies à venir. À moi, si pauvre, il ne m'est permis
Aucun soulagement ; car une longue et violente douleur a été
L'effet et la cause et la punition et le péché.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to French (Français) copyright © 2011 by Guy Laffaille, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-05
Line count: 14
Word count: 136
