| Hommes face au ciel, visages fermés
| Men facing the sky, faces closed
|
| Poings clos, lèvres serrées
| Clenched fists, tight lips
|
| Les pieds dans la poussière
| Feet in the dust
|
| Né d’une seule et mille voix un cri s'élève:
| Born of one and a thousand voices a cry rises:
|
| «Le noir a fondu sur nous»
| "The dark has descended on us"
|
| (Le matin n’est pas venu)
| (Morning has not come)
|
| Maudissant le zénith constellé d’astres sombres
| Cursing the zenith studded with dark stars
|
| Un prêtre claque des dents, frissonnant d’un passé
| A priest chatters his teeth, shivering from a past
|
| Où les étoiles riaient, se laissaient contempler
| Where the stars laughed, let themselves be contemplated
|
| Il se penche et écoute le ver qui dans la tombe
| He bends down and listens to the worm that in the grave
|
| Connaît les temps anciens et se les remémore:
| Knows the old times and remembers them:
|
| «Le soleil est entré au royaume de la mort»
| "The sun has entered the realm of death"
|
| (Der Wurm hat Recht)
| (Der Wurm hat Recht)
|
| Au ventre sec de Nout tissé d’yeux immobiles
| To the dry belly of Nut woven with motionless eyes
|
| (ils scrutent la face de Geb abandonnée des dieux)
| (they peer into Geb's face forsaken by the gods)
|
| Manque le père de toutes choses, le grand joyau serti
| Missing the all-father, the great gem set
|
| Que la belle déesse porte fièrement en son nombril
| That the beautiful goddess wears proudly in her navel
|
| Orphelin du Soleil qui n’occupe plus les cieux
| Orphan of the Sun who no longer occupies the skies
|
| L’azur est condamné aux déserts infinis
| The azure is condemned to infinite deserts
|
| (Les étoiles rient, elles savent
| (The stars are laughing, they know
|
| Que Râ ne reviendra pas)
| That Ra will not return)
|
| Wait for the man to come
| Wait for the man to come
|
| He knows why they whisper
| He knows why they whisper
|
| If he can’t bring the sun back
| If he can't bring the sun back
|
| Then who can?
| Then who can?
|
| Il suffirait d’attendre que l’horizon stérile
| It would be enough to wait for the barren horizon
|
| Libère l’astre du jour, jurent les morts à venir
| Free the daystar, swear the dead to come
|
| L’homme se tait et attend que des coeurs qui s’arrachent
| The man is silent and waits for the tearing hearts
|
| Grandisse l’acceptation du choisi entre mille
| Grow the acceptance of the chosen among a thousand
|
| Son chemin est tracé, il sait qu’il mène au pire
| His path is traced, he knows it leads to the worst
|
| Il connaît le Soleil, il sait où il se cache
| He knows the Sun, he knows where he hides
|
| C’est là, dans la montagne, que le flambeau se terre
| It's there, in the mountain, that the torch rests
|
| C’est là, dans la montagne, que l’homme devra descendre
| It is there, in the mountain, that man must descend
|
| (Die Tür ist geöffnet)
| (Die Tür ist geöffnet)
|
| --Deuxième Chant: Lumière Brûlante--
| --Second Canto: Burning Light--
|
| «Tout ce temps la lumière était là, juste sous nos pieds; | “All this time the light was there, right under our feet; |
| elle servait de
| she served as
|
| linceul aux corps de nos aînés. | shroud to the bodies of our elders. |
| Nous imaginions
| We imagined
|
| Le Royaume des Morts obscur et silencieux. | The Dark and Silent Realm of the Dead. |
| Nous avions tort: car c’est dans le
| We were wrong: for it is in the
|
| ventre d’un volcan que se consumaient
| belly of a volcano that was being consumed
|
| Nos espoirs de repos.»
| Our hopes of rest."
|
| (Blinde Wut)
| (Blind Wut)
|
| «Dans le premier Cercle brûle une rage sans limite; | “In the first Circle burns boundless rage; |
| elle corrompt la chair et
| it corrupts the flesh and
|
| tord les esprits. | twist minds. |
| Ici tout est clair, à
| Here everything is clear,
|
| Seulement quelques lettres de l’aveuglant — mais c’est une lumière sale,
| Only a few letters from the blinder — but it's a dirty light,
|
| une lumière furieuse qui n’aurait d’existence
| a furious light that would have no existence
|
| Que dans l’exubérance
| Than in exuberance
|
| Blake évoquait les Tigres de la Colère, ignorant de quel feu brûlaient leurs
| Blake spoke of the Wrath Tigers, unaware of what fire their
|
| yeux
| eyes
|
| Mais Blake n’a jamais atteint le premier Cercle»
| But Blake never reached the Inner Circle."
|
| (Heilige Wut)
| (Heilige Wut)
|
| Underneath the skin there’s no flesh and bones, just light and anger
| Underneath the skin there's no flesh and bones, just light and anger
|
| This is where war belongs, this is where madness runs
| This is where war belongs, this is where madness runs
|
| Infinite webs of life, born, dead and born again
| Infinite webs of life, born, dead and born again
|
| No end to wait, no end to crave
| No end to wait, no end to crave
|
| No end to beg, begging is for shadows
| No end to beg, begging is for shadows
|
| «L'homme est descendu dans le cercle pour y chercher les derniers rayons du
| "The man descended into the circle to seek there the last rays of the
|
| soleil; | Sun; |
| il n’avait pas imaginé le
| He hadn't imagined the
|
| Maelstrom, la sueur, les hurlements et la colère. | Maelstrom, sweat, screams and anger. |
| Tout ce qui était sous terre
| Everything that was underground
|
| criait, et de leurs cris naissait une lumière
| cried, and from their cries a light was born
|
| Aveuglante. | Blinding. |
| Les guerriers d'époques anciennes y perpétuaient des massacres
| Warriors of ancient times perpetuated massacres there
|
| commis des siècles en arrière — ils avaient
| committed centuries back — they had
|
| Oublié qu’ils étaient morts un jour -, et plus le sang coulait, plus la lumière
| Forgot that they were dead one day - and the more the blood flowed, the more the light
|
| grandissait
| was growing
|
| L’homme crut alors avoir trouvé
| The man then thought he had found
|
| Ce qu’il était venu chercher»
| What he came for"
|
| (Liebte Wut)
| (Liebte Wut)
|
| I’ve found what I’ve been looking for
| I've found what I've been looking for
|
| In the rage of men lies clarity
| In the rage of men lies clarity
|
| Make me one of thee
| Make me one of thee
|
| Let me hold the fire that’s burning inside you
| Let me hold the fire that's burning inside you
|
| Even if I know anger is a light no one can bring back
| Even if I know anger is a light no one can bring back
|
| «Quand l’homme fut plein de la lumière du premier Cercle, qu’il s’en fut gorgé
| "When man was full of the light of the first Circle, when he was gorged with it
|
| et eut succombé à ses délices, il comprit
| and had succumbed to his delights, he understood
|
| Qu’il avait adoré un mirage: la lumière qu’il cherchait n'était pas celle de
| That he had worshiped a mirage: the light he sought was not that of
|
| la colère des anciens morts, ni celle de la rage
| the wrath of the ancient dead, nor that of rage
|
| Des futurs vivants, mais quelque chose qui gisait plus loin, et plus
| Living futures, but something that lay beyond, and more
|
| profondément. | deeply. |
| La rage consumerait ses os, ses
| Rage would consume his bones, his
|
| Tendons et ses muscles — elle le transformerait en une cendre crayeuse.
| Sinews and his muscles—she would turn him into chalky ash.
|
| Il fallait donc descendre, descendre encore
| So we had to go down, down some more
|
| Hélas»
| Alas"
|
| --Troisième Chant: Lumière Morte--
| --Third Canto: Dead Light--
|
| Sur la route du soleil gisent des miroirs fendus
| On the road to the sun lie split mirrors
|
| Ils renvoient les échos d’une lumière disparue
| They send back the echoes of a vanished light
|
| L’homme écoute le ver qui chuchote tout bas
| The man listens to the whispering worm
|
| Qu’on ne doit à aucun prix revenir sur ses pas
| That we must at no cost retrace our steps
|
| La voie s'étire au loin en pente douce et sombre
| The way stretches away in a gentle, dark slope
|
| La clameur diminue, les anciennes colères tombent
| The clamor lessens, old angers fall
|
| De la lumière du haut ne demeure qu’un halo
| Of the light from above remains only a halo
|
| Un cercle brûlant de rage, qui disparaît bientôt
| A burning circle of rage, which soon disappears
|
| Le deuxième souterrain est celui des vestiges
| The second underground is that of the remains
|
| Un crépuscule immense dont les ombres sont liges | An immense twilight whose shadows lie |
| L’homme ici n’est pas seul; | The man here is not alone; |
| il marche avec ses pairs
| he walks with his peers
|
| Pour avancer il doit se fier à sa lumière
| To advance he must trust his light
|
| Le deuxième souterrain est celui de l’absence
| The second underground is that of absence
|
| Une lumière y brûlait jadis d’un feu immense
| A light once burned there with great fire
|
| Mais désormais ses cendres en tapissent le chemin
| But now his ashes line the way
|
| Des cadavres souriants vous y tendent la main
| Smiling corpses reach out to you
|
| «Reste avec nous», disent-ils, «pourquoi aller plus loin?»
| “Stay with us,” they say, “why go any further?”
|
| «Ici la lumière couve, apaise, guérit, prend soin»
| "Here the light smolders, soothes, heals, cares"
|
| L’homme regarde alentour, aveugle, et désespère
| The man looks around, blind, in despair
|
| Car il ne parvient pas à percer ce mystère
| 'Cause he can't unravel this mystery
|
| Le deuxième souterrain est celui du mensonge
| The second underground is that of the lie
|
| Celui qui prend, étreint, celui qui prie, et ronge
| He who takes, embraces, he who prays, and gnaws
|
| Sous des dehors habiles de paix, sérénité
| Under skilful exteriors of peace, serenity
|
| Rien ne bouge plus jamais, tout y demeure scellé
| Nothing ever moves again, everything remains sealed
|
| «Reste plutôt avec nous», continuent les cadavres
| “Stay with us instead,” the corpses continue
|
| «Il n’y a rien plus bas, ceux qui sont morts le savent»
| "There is nothing lower, those who are dead know it"
|
| L’homme contemple triste cette vaste étendue
| The man gazes sadly at this vast expanse
|
| Se souvient du chemin: il n’est donc pas perdu
| Remembers the way: so it is not lost
|
| «Votre lumière est morte, je n’en ai pas voulu»
| "Your light is dead, I didn't want it"
|
| --Quatrième Chant: Lumière Absente--
| --Fourth Canto: Absent Light--
|
| J’ai rencontré l’obscurité
| I met the dark
|
| Elle marchait devant moi
| She walked in front of me
|
| Me suivait
| was following me
|
| Et chacun de ses pas dans les miens me rappelait cette fois où je l’avais cru
| And every step he took in mine reminded me of that time I believed him
|
| partie
| part
|
| Fou, je l'étais, de penser que les ombres pouvaient un jour cesser de me suivre
| I was crazy to think that the shadows could ever stop following me
|
| Car le noir est en nous. | Because the dark is in us. |
| Il est le ciment dont nous nous fabriquons
| He's the glue we make
|
| Il ne nous quitte jamais
| He never leaves us
|
| Alors, j’ai passé la porte
| So I walked through the door
|
| J’ai avancé à sa rencontre
| I advanced to meet him
|
| Pour le laisser m’engloutir
| To let it swallow me up
|
| (Abondance d’absence et de silence est encore abondance)
| (Abundance of absence and silence is still abundance)
|
| Au beau milieu du noir, de ce que j’imaginais être son épicentre,
| In the middle of the dark, of what I imagined to be its epicenter,
|
| je me suis assis
| I sat down
|
| Il me parut facile alors d’oublier les raisons qui m’y avaient conduit
| It seemed easy to me then to forget the reasons which had led me there
|
| Fermer les yeux, être son propre centre
| Close your eyes, be your own center
|
| Ne faire plus qu’un avec l’obscurité
| Become one with the darkness
|
| Craindre que la mort vienne vous faucher
| Fear that death will mow you down
|
| Car dans le noir rôdent celles qu’on nomme les affamées
| For in the dark prowl those who are called the hungry
|
| Elles chassent les hommes perdus
| They hunt lost men
|
| Elles dévorent ceux qui renoncent
| They devour those who renounce
|
| Assourdi de silence
| Deafened with Silence
|
| Pourtant je vis encore, je respire cet air noir
| Yet I still live, I breathe this black air
|
| Et si les créatures rôdent, elles sont encore loin
| And if the creatures roam, they're still far away
|
| (Se lever, il faut se lever)
| (Get up, gotta get up)
|
| Contre les ténèbres, avancer
| Against the darkness, forward
|
| Il n’est qu’un seul remède
| There is only one remedy
|
| Il n’est qu’un seul espoir
| There is only one hope
|
| (Se lever, il faut se lever)
| (Get up, gotta get up)
|
| Rien ne viendra t’aider
| Nothing will come to help you
|
| Il n’est qu’une seule porte
| There is only one door
|
| Il n’est qu’un seul chemin
| There is only one way
|
| (Se lever. Il faut se lever)
| (Get up. You gotta get up)
|
| (Hier ist keine Tür: du bist die Tür)
| (Hier ist keine Tür: du bist die Tür)
|
| --Cinquième Chant: Lumière Éteinte--
| --Fifth Canto: Extinguished Light--
|
| I’ve been all the way down
| I've been all the way down
|
| I met those who worshipped blood, fear and madness
| I met those who worshiped blood, fear and madness
|
| But I walked
| But I walked
|
| I met the corpses slowly fading to black
| I put the corpses slowly fading to black
|
| They told me to stay with them
| They told me to stay with them
|
| But I walked
| But I walked
|
| I met obscurity, and in its center I met myself
| I met obscurity, and in its center I met myself
|
| I walked again
| I walked again
|
| Men thought light was lying deeper underground
| Men thought light was lying deeper underground
|
| But it was buried inside me
| But it was buried inside me
|
| Passée l’obscurité, l’homme poursuit son chemin
| Past the darkness, the man goes on his way
|
| Et il descend jusqu’où personne ne peut descendre
| And it goes down where no one can go down
|
| Trouve alors le soleil, encastré en son centre
| Then find the sun, embedded in its center
|
| Mais l’orbe ne brille plus. | But the orb no longer shines. |
| Il a cherché en vain
| He searched in vain
|
| Face à lui gît le corps sans vie d’un astre éteint
| In front of him lies the lifeless body of an extinct star
|
| Une force a étouffé le désir brûlant
| A force has smothered the burning desire
|
| Capable d'éclairer le monde et ses enfants
| Able to enlighten the world and its children
|
| Et a éteint le feu qui couvait en son sein
| And quenched the fire that smoldered within
|
| Mais l’homme se reprend:
| But the man pulls himself together:
|
| «Aucune force ne peut assassiner un astre. | “No force can slay a star. |
| Seulement une absence.»
| Only an absence.
|
| Et de comprendre enfin que ce sont nos silences
| And to finally understand that these are our silences
|
| Qui effacent les routes et éteignent les feux
| Who erase the roads and put out the lights
|
| Ses jambes l’abandonnent. | His legs leave him. |
| Il s’effondre et se blesse
| He collapses and hurts himself
|
| Aucune prière, aucun chant, plus rien ne vient
| No prayers, no songs, nothing more comes
|
| Il s’imagine revenir, il repense aux anciens
| He imagines himself coming back, he thinks back to the old ones
|
| Et il ouvre les bras: que le noir se repaisse
| And he opens his arms: let the black feast
|
| Ici, le crépuscule des mondes
| Here the twilight of the worlds
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Une voix, une seule, résonne, la sienne
| A voice, only one, resounds, his
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Des tréfonds elle s’embrase
| From the depths she ignites
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Elle prend naissance en lui
| It takes birth in him
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Elle déchire ses entrailles
| She rips her insides out
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| C’est cette lumière en lui
| It's that light in him
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Elle lui hurle de briller
| She screams at him to shine
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Elle exige de régner
| She demands to reign
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Devenir le soleil
| Become the sun
|
| (devenir le soleil)
| (become the sun)
|
| Prendre la relève
| Take over
|
| (devenir le soleil) | (become the sun) |