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!'
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 !»
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: 122