Charles Baudelaire

Hymn

To the dearest, fairest woman Who sets my heart ablaze with light, To the angel, the immortal idol, Greetings in immortality! She permeates my life Like air impregnated with salt And into my unsated soul Pours the taste for the eternal. Sachet, ever fresh, that perfumes The atmosphere of a dear nook, Forgotten censer smoldering Secretly through the night, Everlasting love, how can I Describe you truthfully? Grain of musk that lies unseen In the depths of my eternity! To the dearest, fairest woman Who is my health and my delight To the angel, the immortal idol, Greetings in immortality! Translated by - William Aggeler Hymn To the most dear, to the most beautiful Who fills my heart with brightness, To the angel, to the immortal idol Salute to immortality! She diffuses through my life Like air alive with brine, And in my insatiated soul Pours the flavor of eternity. Sachet ever fresh that perfumes The atmosphere of a dear room Forgotten censer smoking Secretly across the night, How, O imperishable love, Can I express you truly? Grain of musk lying invisibly In the depths of my eternity! To the most good, to the most beautiful Who is my joy and welfare, To the angel, to the immortal idol Salute to immortality! Translated by - Geoffrey Wagner Hymne to her, my love and my delight, my full heart's fiery ecstasy, immortal goddess, heavenly sprite, my pledge in immortality! like briny air from ocean shores through all my hours she drifts and clings, and in my thirsty spirit pours her love for everlasting things. unchanging phial of perfume rare drowning a shrine of love's delight, forgotten censer smoking there in secret through the shadowy night, o love that shall defy decay, how shall I truly utter thee? o grain of musk hid far away deep in my soul's eternity! to her, my love and my delight, my full heart's fiery ecstasy, immortal goddess, heavenly sprite, my pledge in immortality! Translated by - Lewis Piaget Shanks Hymn To the very dear, to the beautiful one Who fills my heart with clearness, To the angel, to the immortal idol, Hail in immortality! She is where my life is Like air tinged with salt, And in my still desiring soul Pours the taste of eternity. Richness always fresh that perfumes The atmosphere with a dear something, Forgotten censer which is misty In secret through the night, How, love incorruptible, Tell of you with truth? Musk grain, that lies, unseen, At the beginning of my everlastingness! To the very good, to the very beautiful one Who is my joy and my health, To the angel, to the immortal idol, Hail in immortality! Translated by - Eli Siegel Hymn To the all-fair, to the all-dear Who steeps my heart in splendency (Angel, immortal idol, hear!) All hail in immortality! She strews her savor through my days, Pungent as brine on salt, tart air, She fills my restive soul and lays Eternity's suave flavors there. Ever-fresh sachet, redolent In every coign of a loved room, Forgotten censer, diffluent In secret smoke across the gloom, Love, incorruptible, how can I celebrate thee truthfully? O grain of musk, unseen of man, Couched deep in my eternity! To the all-fair, to the all-dear, My joy, my health, my sanity. (Angel, immortal idol, hear!) All hail in immortality! Translated by - Jacques LeClercq Hymn To the most lovely, the most dear, The Angel, and the deathless grail Who fill my heart with radiance clear - In immortality all hail! Into my life she flows translated As saline breezes fill the sky, And pours into my soul unsated The taste of what can never die. Sachet, forever fresh, perfuming Some quiet nook of hid delight; A lone forgotten censer fuming In secrecy across the night. How, flawless love, with truth impart Your purity and keep it whole, O unseen grain of musk who art The core of my eternal soul? To the most lovely, the most dear, The angel, and the deathless grail, Who fill my life with radiance clear - In immortality all hail! Translated by - Roy Campbell

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