by
Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926)
Sombres plaisirs
Language: French (Français)
Our translations: ENG ITA
Il serait plus viril et plus noble sans doute
De croiser sur son coeur ses bras las et meurtris,
Et de ne point pousser de lamentables cris
Comme un enfant perdu la nuit sur la grand' route.
Il faudrait, ainsi qu'un cadavre qui dégoûte,
Enfouir son amour, en brûler les débris,
Et chanter au besoin, et crier qu'on est gris,
Et boire en souriant ses larmes goutte à goutte.
Mais on est solagé par les pleurs, les sanglots,
La rage folle. Ainsi vos mères, matelots,
Quand vous êtes noyès par la houle inhumaine,
Arrachent des galets au bord du gouffre amer,
Et, les jetant aux flots avec des cris de haine,
Apaisent leur douleur en outrageant la mer.
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, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Corinne Orde) , title 1: "Somber pleasures", copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ITA Italian (Italiano) (Francesco Campanella) , title 1: "Oscuri piaceri", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Corinne Orde
This text was added to the website: 2007-11-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 118
Oscuri piaceri
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the French (Français)
Più virile e più nobile senza dubbio sarebbe
Incrociare sul suo cuore le stanche e martoriate braccia,
E non emettere lamentose grida
Come bambino perduto di notte su una grande strada.
Bisognerebbe, come un cadavere disgustoso
Interrare il suo amore, bruciarne i resti,
E cantare al bisogno, e gridare che si è ebbri,
E bere sorridendo delle sue lacrime goccia a goccia.
Ma si è sollevati dalle lacrime, dai singhiozzi,
Dalla rabbia folle. Così la vostre madri, o marinai,
Quando siete annegati per le inumane onde,
Strappano ciottoli al bordo della amara voragine,
E, gettandoli alle onde con violento odio,
Placano il loro dolore oltraggiando il mare.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2013 by Francesco Campanella, (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 Jean Richepin (1849 - 1926), "Sombres plaisirs", appears in Les Caresses, in 4. Nivôse, no. 22, Paris, Éd. M. Dreyfous, first published 1882
This text was added to the website: 2013-09-02
Line count: 14
Word count: 107