Logo
Home Contact

Séverac - Chanson de la nuit durable

Chanson de la nuit durable

Séverac (1910)

Oh! ma petite princesse de clarté
Venez avec moi sur les routes nocturnes,
Sous le large ciel étoilé!
Nous marcherons par les routes infinies
Et vous aurez, à vos pieds,
Des cothurnes de frêles liserons endormis.

Vous me donnerez vos mains, toutes les deux,
Vous appuyerez votre tête sur mon épaule!
Nous irons comme des bienheureux,
Des bienheureux déjà sortis de la vie,
Pour qui les heures dorment, sous les grands saules,
Dans quelque pauvre enceine bénie.

Je veux que les heures devant nous soient mortes!
Il n'y aura plus de temps, rien que l'amour,
L'amour fervent que je te porte!
Et je t'emmènerai bien à moi seul, toute,
A travers les siècles, les années, les jours...
Par une sûre éternelle route!

Mme Espinasse Mongenet

Song of the enduring night

 

Oh! my little princess of brightness
come with me along the nocturnal paths,
beneath the wide starry sky!
We shall walk along the infinite paths
and you shall have, upon your feet
buskins of frail sleeping columbine.

You will give me your hands, both together,
you will lean your head on my shoulder!
We shall go like supremely happy
beings already departed from this life,
for whom the hours sleep, beneath the great willows,
in some poor yet blessed enclosure.

I wish the hours before us were dead!
There will ne no more time, nothing but love,
the fervent love that I bring you!
And I shall carry you off for myself alone,
through the centuries, the years, the days...
Along a secure, never-ending path!

© translated by Christopher Goldsack

Please be aware that some of the original French texts on this site are still in copyright. The translations are offered here for study purposes.

Students and not-for-profit events are always welcome to use the transaltions for their programmes free of charge. I am however glad to be told when they are being used! Send me an email and do share the site with friends and colleagues! If seeking to use them for commercial purposes please also consider making a small donation towards the upkeep of the site: