Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Oh, to vex me, contraryes meet in one: In constancy unnaturally hath begott A constant habit; that when I would not I change in vowes, and in devotione. As humorous is my contritione As my profane Love and as soone forgott: As ridlingly distemper'd, cold and hott, As praying, as mute; as infinite, as none. I durst not view Heav'n yesterday; and today In prayers, and flatt'ring speeches I court God: Tomorrow I quake with true feare of his rod. So my devout fitts come and go away, Like a fantastique Ague: save that here Those are my best dayes, when I shake with feare.
Authorship
- by John Donne (1572 - 1631), appears in Holy Sonnets, no. 19 [author's text checked 1 time 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 (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Oh, to vex me", op. 35 no. 4 (1945), published 1946 [ high voice and piano ], from The Holy Sonnets of John Donne, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Geoffrey Burgon (b. 1941), "Oh, to vex me", 2001? [ voice and piano ], from Heavenly Things, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
- by Juliana Hall (b. 1958), "Oh, to vex me", 2013, first performed 2014 [ tenor and piano ], from The Holy Sonnets of John Donne - 9 Songs for Tenor and Piano, no. 4 [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
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: 105
Oh, pour me contrarier, des contraires se rencontrent : Dans la constance, anormalement a produit Une habitude constante ; que quand je ne voudrais pas Je change en serments, et en dévotions. Aussi amusante est ma contrition Que mon amour profane et aussi vite oubliée : Aussi énigmatiquement de mauvaise humeur, froid et chaud, Aussi en prières que muet : aussi infini que nul. Je n'osais pas voir le ciel hier : et aujourd'hui En prières, et en paroles flatteuses je courtise Dieu : Demain je tremble avec une vraie peur de sa baguette. Ainsi mes accès de piété vont et viennent, Comme une fièvre vertigineuse : sauvez ce qui ici Forment mes meilleurs jours, quand je tremble de peur.
About the headline (FAQ)
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:
- a text in English by John Donne (1572 - 1631), appears in Holy Sonnets, no. 19
This text was added to the website: 2011-07-05
Line count: 14
Word count: 120