Berceuse d’Armorique by Anatole le Braz
Dors, petit enfant, dans ton lit bien clos :
Dieu prenne en pitié les matelots !
– Chante ta chanson, chante, bonne vieille !
La lune se lève et la mer s’éveille.
Au pays du Froid, la houle des fiords
Chante sa berceuse en berçant les morts.
– Chante ta chanson, chante, bonne vieille !
La lune se lève et la mer s’éveille.
Dors, petit enfant, dans ton lit bien doux,
Car tu t’en iras comme ils s’en vont tous.
– Chante ta chanson, chante, bonne vieille !
La lune se lève et la mer s’éveille.
Tes yeux ont déjà la couleur des flots.
Dieu prenne en pitié les bons matelots !
– Chante ta chanson, chante, bonne vieille !
La lune se lève et la mer s’éveille.
Armoric lullaby translation by Hélène Lindqvist (Armorica was an ancient region in France, more or less corresponding to today’s Breton/Brittany)
Sleep, little child, in your soft bed:
May God take pity on the sailors!
– Sing your song, sing, old woman!
The moon is rising and the sea is awakening.
In that cold country, the swell of the fjords
Sings its lullaby while lulling the dead.
– Sing your song, sing, old woman!
The moon is rising and the sea is awakening.
Sleep, little child, in your soft bed,
For you will go away as they all go away.
– Sing your song, sing, old woman!
The moon is rising and the sea is awakening.
Your eyes already have the colour of the waves.
May God take pity on the sailors!
– Sing your song, sing, old woman!
The moon is rising and the sea is awakening.
Comments
What a treasure of a song and so lyrically performed. Thank you!
Thanks! 🙂
What a beautiful song, beautifully performed!
Clive & Alessandro – glad you like this song. It’s special for me as well. Lionel – great to hear from you again! I can see what you mean with the Duparc comparison – in my opinion her music is just as strong as his.
Hélène, I agree with the other comments – what a beautiful song. If I hadn’t known otherwise, I’d have guessed it to have been written by Henri Duparc – and that’s a real compliment, I think you’ll agree. Of course, as always, you sing it with great sensitivity.
Brava!
Oh Helene, il testo della canzone è una dolce e struggente poesia….
A wonderful sad song.