A French reading:
Original French
|
Translation
|
|
|
Charles Baudelaire’s “Le
Vampire” |
Charles Baudelaire’s “The
Vampire” |
|
|
Toi qui, comme un coup de
couteau, |
You, like a piercing knife,
|
Dans mon coeur plaintif es
entrée; |
Who entered my grieving heart;
|
Toi qui, forte comme un troupeau
|
You, strong as a flock of
demons, |
De démons, vins, folle et
parée, |
Who came adorned in madness.
|
|
|
De mon esprit humilié
|
My shameful spirit
|
Faire ton lit et ton
domaine; |
Made into your bed and your
domain; |
— Infâme à qui je suis lié
|
—Vile woman to whom I am bound
|
Comme le forçat à la
chaîne, |
As a convict to a chain,
|
|
|
Comme au jeu le joueur
têtu, |
As a gambler to his
game, |
Comme à la bouteille
l’ivrogne, |
As a drunkard to his drink,
|
Comme aux vermines la
charogne |
As a vermin to his carcass,
|
— Maudite, maudite sois-tu!
|
—Cursed, cursed—be you!
|
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J’ai prié le glaive rapide
|
I prayed for the swift
sword |
De conquérir ma liberté,
|
To win my freedom,
|
Et j’ai dit au poison
perfide |
And asked the treacherous
poison |
De secourir ma lâcheté.
|
To save my cowardice.
|
|
|
Hélas! le poison et le
glaive |
Alas! The sword and poison
both |
M’ont pris en dédain et
m’ont dit: |
Have left me disdained and
said: |
«Tu n’es pas digne qu’on
t’enlève |
“You’re not fit to be lifted
|
À ton esclavage maudit,
|
from accurséd slavery,
|
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|
Imbécile! — de son empire
|
Fool! — if our efforts
|
Si nos efforts te
délivraient, |
Could free you from her
empire, |
Tes baisers
ressusciteraient |
Your kisses would revive
|
Le cadavre de ton vampire!»
|
Your vampire’s carcass!”
|
This is a good reading of a different English translation: