Georges Bizet (1838-1875)
from the opera Les Pêcheurs de perles 1863
also covered by
David Gilmour on the
concert DVD/CD
Meltdown
À cette voix quel trouble agitait tout mon être?
From this voice what disturbance stirs my being?
Quel fol espoir? Comment ai-je cru reconnaître?
What crazy hope? How did I recognize it?
Hélas! devant mes yeux déjà, pauvre insensé,
Alas! before my eyes again, you fool,
La même vision tant de fois a passé!
The same vision appears, like so many times before!
Non, non, c'est le remords, la fièvre, la délire!
No, no, it is remorse, fever, delirium!
Zurga doit tout savoir, j'aurais tout lui dire!
Zurga must know it all, had I told her everything!
Parjure à mon serment, j'ai voulu la revoir!
Breaking my vow by wanting to see her again!
J'ai decouvert sa trace, et j'ai suivi ses pas!
I found her trace and followed in her footsteps!
Et caché dans la nuit et soupirant tout bas,
And in the cover of night and sighing silently,
J'écoutais ses doux chants emportés dans l'espace.
I listened to her tender songs carried away to space.
Je crois entendre encore,
I still believe I hear
Caché sous les palmiers,
hidden beneath the palm trees
Sa voix tendre et sonore
Her voice, tender and deep
Comme un chant de ramier!
like the song of a dove
O nuit enchanteresse!
O night enchantress!
Divin ravissement!
Divine rapture
O souvenir charmant!
O Delightful memory!
Folle ivresse! doux rêve!
Crazy drunkenness, Sweet Dreams!
Aux clartés des étoiles,
In the starlight,
Je crois encore la voir,
It's as if I saw her again,
Entr'ouvrir ses longs voiles
Peeking beyond her long drapes,
Aux vents tièdes du soir!
To the warm evening winds,
O nuit enchanteresse!
O night enchantress!
O souvenir charmant!
O Delightful memory!
Audited for E2 Copyright Changes. Public Domain work published before 1923.