Logo
Home Contact

Hahn - L'incrédule

L'incrédule

Hahn

Tu crois au marc de café,
Aux présages, aux grands jeux:
Moi je ne crois qu'en tes grands yeux.

Tu crois au contes de fées,
Aux jours néfastes, aux songes:
Moi, je ne crois qu'en tes mensonges.

Tu crois en un vague Dieu,
En quelque Saint spécial,
En tel Ave contre tel mal.

Je ne crois qu'aux heures bleues
Et roses que tu m'épanches
Dans la volupté des nuits blanches.1

Et si profonde est ma foi
Envers tout ce que je crois
Que je ne vis que pour toi!

Paul Verlaine

1Nuit blanche - literally white night, meaning sleepless night.

The unbeliever

 

You believe in coffee dregs,
in omens, in high stakes:
I only believe in your big eyes.

You believe in fairy-tales,
in ill-fated days, in dreams:
I only believe in your lies.

You believe in a vague God,
in some special saint,
in such an Ave for such a wrong.

I only believe in the blue and rose
hours which you pour over me
in the bliss of sleepless nights.

And so deep is my faith
towards all that which I believe
that I live only for you!

© 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: