by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824)
Translation by Alexis Paulin Pâris (1800 - 1881)
A spirit pass'd before me
Language: English after the Latin
A spirit pass'd before me: I beheld The face of immortality unveil'd -- Deep sleep came down on every eye save mine -- And there it stood, -- all formless -- but divine; Along my bones the creeping flesh did quake; And as my damp hair stiffen'd, thus it spake: 'Is man more just that God? Is man more pure Than he who deems even Seraphs insecure? Creatures of clay -- vain dwellers in the dust! The moth survives you, and are ye more just? Things of day! you wither ere the night, Heedless and blind to Wisdom's wasted light!'
Text Authorship:
- by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "A spirit pass'd before me", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 28, first published 1815 [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Job 4
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Milton Barnes , "A spirit pass'd before me", 1958 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by William Richard Bexfield (1824 - 1853), "A spirit pass'd before me", op. 4 no. ?, published 1848 [ bass and piano ], from Musica di Camera [sung text not yet checked]
- by Harry Collings Deacon (1822 - 1890), "A spirit pass'd before me", published 1855 [ low voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Arthur H. Gutman , "A spirit pass'd before me", published 1940 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Clarence S. Hill , "A spirit pass'd before me", published 1911 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Isaac Nathan (1790 - 1864), "A spirit pass'd before me" [ voice and piano ], from A Selection of Hebrew Melodies No. I, no. 28 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Howard D. Salins , "A spirit pass'd before me", published 1906 [ voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Franz Theremin (1780 - 1846) , "Eliphas Gesicht, aus dem Hiob", appears in Hebräische Gesänge, first published 1820 ; composed by Carl Loewe.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (Alexis Paulin Pâris) , "Un esprit a passé devant moi", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 28
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-13
Line count: 12
Word count: 95
Un esprit a passé devant moi
Language: French (Français) after the English
Un esprit a passé devant moi: j'ai vu face à face l'immortalité dévoilée; -- un profond sommeil ferma tous les yeux, hormis les miens: -- il m'apparut -- l'esprit immatériel, -- mais divin: la chair qui entoure mes os frissonna d'une sainte terreur; mes cheveux inondés de sueur se dressèrent sur ma tête, et voici ce que j'entendis: «L'homme est-il plus juste que Dieu ? L'homme est-il plus pur que celui qui ne croit pas les séraphins eux-mêmes exempts de péril ? Créatures d'argile ! -- êtres vains qui habitez dans la poussière ! les vers vous survivent; -- êtes-vous donc plus justes ! Choses d'un jour, vous vous flétrissez avant la nuit ! Race insouciante et aveugle, à laquelle la sagesse prodigue en vain sa lumière !»
Text Authorship:
- by Alexis Paulin Pâris (1800 - 1881), "Un esprit a passé devant moi", appears in Mélodies hébraïques, no. 28 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by George Gordon Noel Byron, Lord Byron (1788 - 1824), "A spirit pass'd before me", appears in Hebrew Melodies, no. 28, first published 1815 [an adaptation]
Based on:
- a text in Latin by Bible or other Sacred Texts , Job 4
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2012-01-15
Line count: 12
Word count: 116