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[Que bien sé yo la fuente que mana y corre, Aunque es de noche.]1 Aquella eterna fuente está escondida, Qué bien sé yo do tiene su manida. Aunque es de noche. Su origen no lo sé, pues no le tiene, Mas sé que todo origen de ella viene, Aunque es de noche. Sé que no puede ser cosa tan bella. Y que cielos y tierra beben de ella, Aunque es de noche. Bien sé que suelo en ella no se halla, Y que ninguno puede vadealla. Aunque es de noche. Su claridad nunca es oscurecida. Y sé que toda luz de ella es venida, Aunque es de noche. Sé ser tan caudalosas sus corrientes, Que infiernos, cielos riegan, y a las gentes, Aunque es de noche. El corriente que nace de esta fuente Bien sé yo que es tan capaz y [omnipotente]3, Aunque es de noche. El corriente que de estas dos procede Sé que ninguna de ellas le precede, Aunque es de noche. Aquesta eterna fuente está escondida, En este vivo pan por darnos vida. [Aunque es de noche]2. Aquí se está llamando a las criaturas, Y de esta agua se harten, aunque a oscuras, Aunque es de noche. Aquesta viva fuente, que deseo, En este pan de vida yo la veo, Aunque es de noche.
F. Mompou sets stanzas 2-4, 10, 7-8, 12
M. Garcia Morante sets stanzas 2-4, 7-9, 12
1 omitted by Garcia Morante and Mompou
2 Mompou: "En esta noche oscura / Que bien sé yo por fe la fontefrida."
3 Mompou: "tan potente"
Authorship:
- by Saint John of the Cross, né Juan de Yepes Alvarez (1542 - 1591), "Cantar del alma" [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 Manuel Garcia Morante (b. 1937), "Cantar del alma", 1987, stanzas 2-4,7-9,12, from Cuatro canciones de San Juan de la Cruz, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Frederic Mompou i Dencausse (1893 - 1987), "Cantar del alma", stanzas 2-4,10,7-8,12 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in French (Français), a translation by Armand Godoy (1880 - 1964) , first published 1937 ; composed by Gabriel Charpentier.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Also set in Swedish (Svenska), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [an adaptation] ; composed by Carl Unander Scharin.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Mac McClure) , "Song of the soul", copyright © 2003, (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: 35
Word count: 217
That eternal fountain is hidden, I know well where it lies, even though it is night. I do not know its origin, since it has none, But i know that every origin comes from it, Even though it is night. I know there cannot be anything as beautiful And heaven and earth drink from it, Even though it is night. I know its streams to be so full that they water Hell, Heaven and people Even though it is night. The stream that pours forth from this fountain I know who capable it is, and how strong, Even though it is night This fountain is hidden In this living bread to give us life In this dark night. For I know by faith it's the cold fountain. This living fountain that that I desire I see it in this bread of life Even though it is night.
Authorship:
- Translation from Spanish (Español) to English copyright © 2003 by Mac McClure, (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: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Spanish (Español) by Saint John of the Cross, né Juan de Yepes Alvarez (1542 - 1591), "Cantar del alma"
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 22
Word count: 148