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L’étang mystérieux, suaire aux blanches moires, Frisonne ; au fond du bois la clairière apparaît ; Les arbres sont profonds et les branches sont noires ; Avez-vous vu Vénus à travers la forêt? Avez-vous vu Vénus au sommet des collines? Vous qui passez dans l’ombre, êtes-vous des amants? Les sentiers bruns sont pleins de blanches mousselines ; L’herbe s’éveille et parle aux sépulcres dormants. Que dit-il, le brin d’herbe? et que répond la tombe? Aimez, vous qui vivez! on a froid sous les ifs. Lèvre, cherche la bouche! aimez-vous! la nuit tombe ; Soyez heureux pendant que nous sommes pensifs. Dieu veut qu’on ait aimé. Vivez! faites envie, Ô couples qui passez sous le vert coudrier. Tout ce que dans la tombe, en sortant de la vie, On emporta d’amour, on l’emploie à prier. Les mortes d’aujourd’hui furent jadis les belles. Le ver luisant dans l’ombre erre avec son flambeau. Le vent fait tressaillir, au milieu des javelles, Le brin d’herbe, et Dieu fait tressaillir le tombeau. La forme d’un toit noir dessine une chaumière ; On entend dans les prés le pas lourd du faucheur ; L’étoile aux cieux, ainsi qu’une fleur de lumière, Ouvre et fait rayonner sa splendide fraîcheur. Aimez-vous! c’est le mois où les fraises sont mûres. L’ange du soir rêveur, qui flotte dans les vents, Mêle, en les emportant sur ses ailes obscures, Les prières des morts aux baisers des vivants.
Authorship:
- by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Crépuscule" [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 Klaus Miehling (b. 1963), "Crépuscule", op. 312 no. 4 (2020) [ voice and piano ], from Sechs Lieder nach Victor Hugo, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Garrett Medlock) , "Twilight", copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2020-11-20
Line count: 28
Word count: 236
The mysterious pond shivers, [a] shroud of white moire; At the end of the wood the clearing appears; The trees are deep and the branches are black; Have you seen Venus through the forest? Have you seen Venus on the summit of the hills? You who pass in the shadow, are you lovers? The brown paths are full of white muslin; The grass awakens and speaks to the sleeping sepulchers. What does the blade of grass say? and how does the tomb respond? Love, you who live! [we are] cold beneath the yews. Lip, search for the mouth! Love! the night is falling; Be happy while we are pensive! God desires [us] to be loved. Live! make longing, Oh couples who pass beneath the green hazels. All that [we] took into the tomb with love [When] departing from life, [we] apply to praying. Today's dead were formerly the beauties. The worm gleaming in the shadow wanders with its torch. The wind makes the blade of grass shudder In the middle of the bundles, and God makes the tomb shudder. The form of a black roof outlines a cottage; One hears in the meadows the heavy step of the reaper; The star in the heavens, like a flower of light, Opens and makes shine her splendid freshness. Love! it is the month when the strawberries are dark red. The angel of the dreamy evening who floats in the wind, Mixes, in taking them on her dark wings, The prayers of the dead with the kisses of the living.
Authorship:
- Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2020 by Garrett Medlock, (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 Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Crépuscule"
This text was added to the website: 2020-11-25
Line count: 28
Word count: 257