Roses and butterflies, the grave gathers us

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by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885)

Translation © by Amy Pfrimmer

Roses et papillons, la tombe nous...

Language: French (Français)

Our translations: ENG

Roses et papillons, la tombe nous rassemble 
Tôt ou tard.
Pourquoi l'attendre, dis ? Veux-tu pas vivre ensemble 
Quelque part ?

Quelque part dans les airs, si c'est là que se berce 
Ton essor !
Aux champs, si c'est aux champs que ton calice verse 
Son trésor !

Où tu voudras ! qu'importe ! oui, que tu sois haleine 
Ou couleur,
Papillon rayonnant, corolle à demi pleine, 
Aile ou fleur !

Vivre ensemble, d'abord ! c'est le bien nécessaire 
Et réel !
Après on peut choisir au hasard, ou la terre 
Ou le ciel !

About the headline (FAQ)

Text Authorship:

by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Envoi à ***", written 1834, appears in Les Chants du Crépuscule, no. 27b, first published 1835 [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 César Franck (1822 - 1890), "Roses et papillons", FWV. 81 (1872) [ female voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
by Napoléon-Henri Reber (1807 - 1880), "Envoi à ***" [sung text checked 1 time]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Amy Pfrimmer) , copyright © 2019, (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: 16
Word count: 85

Roses and butterflies, the grave gathers...

Language: English after the French (Français)

Roses and butterflies, the grave gathers us 
sooner or later. 
Why wait, you say? Do not you want to live together 
somewhere?

Somewhere in the air, if it is there your growth 
is cradled!
In the fields, if it is into the fields that your chalice pours 
its treasure!

Wherever you like! What does it matter? Yes, that you are breath 
or color, 
radiant butterfly, corolla half opened, 
wing or flower!

Live together, first! This is good 
and necessary!
Afterwards one can choose at random, on the earth 
or heaven!

About the headline (FAQ)

Translations of title(s):
"Roses et papillons" = "Roses and Butterflies"
"Envoi à ***" = " "

Text Authorship:

Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2019 by Amy Pfrimmer, (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 French (Français) by Victor Hugo (1802 - 1885), "Envoi à ***", written 1834, appears in Les Chants du Crépuscule, no. 27b, first published 1835
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2019-07-04
Line count: 16
Word count: 90