Sunday 4 August 2013

Poems of the Little Flower of Jesus; CANTICLE TO THE HOLY FACE

Dear William,
It is an extremely interest to compare the translations of one poem in the Poems of the Little Flower of Jesus.
There is also the multi-task in melodies, chords, keys in the features of the FACE in our vision.
There are countless pictures of Jesus in devotion pictures.
I love to 'read' the Holy Face in the trees in our windows.
Looking the trees in the wind and see the faces. ...
There is more to remember from St Theres's being named 'of the Holy Face'.
Beyond all the FACES, the divine presence, is faith in God who IS! 


 For the moment pondering.
God love.
fr. Donald









Poems of the Little Flower of Jesus

CANTICLE TO THE HOLY FACE
COMMENTARY:    
'Begemmed' re the tears of the Holy Face in the Poem of Therese paused for thought, a rather unfamiliar word.  
The Canticle to the Holy Face is another curtain raiser to the whole 'story of the soul', of Saint Therese of the Infant of Jesus and of the Holy Face.
Writing, poetry, art, dance, song, is the multi-task of her life in fullness.
One tip of iceberg from the translation, "Holy Face) Of those dear Eyes begemmed with tears", "De tes yeux embellis de pleurs", immerses to the Face visions.

Icons, paintings and Biblical references to the  Divine Face echoes in Therese of the Holy Face.

The chart of the 4 versions of the poem give lessons well.
Surprising is to find the Internet translation from the original being very literal and seems to prove the best poem.
Reading and re-reading the French and Internet translation gives me unending grasp of mind and heart.

 1.     Cantique à la Sainte Face.
http://www.abbaye-saint-benoit.ch/saints/carmel/thereseenfj/poesies1/025.htm

2. Collected Poems of Therese of Lisieux. Translated by  Alan Bancroft.
3. Poems of St Therese of the Child Jesus. Translated by the Carmelites of Santa Clara, Cal., USA. Oct 1925


Cantique à la Sainte Face.

Original: French

Jésus ton ineffable image
Est l'astre qui conduit mes pas ;
Tu le sais bien, ton doux Visage
Est pour moi le ciel ici-bas !
Mon amour découvre les charmes
De tes yeux embellis de pleurs.
Je souris à travers mes larmes,
Quand je contemple tes douleurs.

Oh ! je veux pour te consoler
Vivre ignorée et solitaire;
Ta beauté que tu sais voiler
Me découvre tout son mystère,
Et vers toi je voudrais voler!

Ta Face est ma seule patrie,
Elle est mon royaume d'amour;
Elle est ma riante prairie,
Mon doux soleil de chaque jour;
Elle est le lis de la vallée
Dont le parfum mystérieux
Console mon âme exilée,
Lui fait goûter la paix des cieux.

Elle est mon repos, ma douceur,
Et ma mélodieuse lyre...
Ton Visage, ô mon doux Sauveur,
Est le divin bouquet de myrrhe
Que je veux garder sur mon coeur !

Ta Face est ma seule richesse;
Je ne demande rien de plus.
En elle, me cachant sans cesse,
Je te ressemblerai, Jésus !
Laisse en moi la divine empreinte
De tes traits remplis de douceurs,
Et bientôt je deviendrai sainte,
Vers toi j'attirerai les coeurs !

Afin que je puisse amasser
Une belle moisson dorée,
De tes feux daigne m'embraser!
Bientôt, de ta bouche adorée,
Donne-moi l’éternel baiser!
12 août 1895.

1 Certains airs profanes, comme celui-ci, avaient été indiqués à la Bienheureuse par sa cousine, Sr Marie de l'Eucharistie, et elle s'était inspirée du rythme pour composer ses vers.
Depuis, bien des auteurs se sont essayés à mettre en musique quelques-unes de ces poésies. Un recueil en a été édité.


Hymn to the Holy Face.

Translation: Internet

Jesus your ineffable picture
Is the star that guided my steps;
You know it, your sweet face
Is my heaven on earth!
My love discovers the charms
Your eyes embellished with tears.
I smiled through my tears,
When I look at your pain.

Oh! I want to comfort you
Living ignored and lonely;
You know your beauty veil
I discovered all its mystery,
And I want you to fly!

Your Face is my only home,
She is my kingdom of love;
It is my cheerful meadow,
My sweet sun each day;
She is the lily of the valley
Whose mysterious perfume
Console my exiled soul,
A taste of heaven him peace.

It is my rest, my sweetness,
And my melodious lyre ...
Your face, my sweet Savior,
Is the divine bouquet of myrrh
I want to keep on my heart!

Your Face is my only wealth;
I ask nothing more.
In it, hiding me constantly,
I'll look like you, Jesus!
Let me in the divine imprint
Of your lines filled with sweets,
And soon I will become holy,
To you I will draw the hearts!

So I can raise
A golden harvest
Of your fires ablaze deigns me
Soon, your mouth adored
Give me the eternal kiss!
August 12, 1895.

1 Some secular tunes, as it had been given to the Blessed by his cousin, Sister Mary of the Eucharist, and she was inspired to compose his pace.
Since then, many authors have tried to put some music of these poems. A collection has been published.




CANTICLE TO THE HOLY FACE
Translated by the Carmelites of Santa Clara, Cal., USA. Oct 1925

JESUS, Thine image, fair to trace,
Shall be my
star, where'er I go,
Thou knowest, in Thy Sacred Face,
I fin
d my Heaven, while here below.
My love hath found the charm untold
Of th
ose dear Eyes begemmed with tears,
I smile, though weeping, to behold
The
grief that in their depth appears.
Fain would I, to be Thy solace,
Live f
orgotten and unknown,
For the beauty Thou art veiling
Hath to me its secret shown,
Dr
awing me to Thee alone.

Thy holy Face shall be my home,
Th
e Kingdom of my heart's best love,
The smiling meadow where I roam,
My Sun e
ach day in skies above.
My hidden lily of the vale,
Whose mystic perfume, f
aint and rare,
Shall to my b
anished soul exhale
The peace of Heaven I long to share.
'Tis my rest, my harp melodious,
Wher
e the strains of Heaven recur;
Thy dear Face, my gentle Saviour,
Is a kn
ot of sacred myrrh;
From
my breast 'twill never stir.

My only treasure is Thy Face,
No
other do I ask to see,
There shall I find my hiding place,
Till, J
esus, I resemble Thee.
O seal me with divine impress
Of T
hy sweet Image, as I plead;
Full soon, imbued with holiness,
To T
hee all hearts my heart shall lead.
With Thy fires of love inflame me,
That fr
om ripened fields be stored
Harvests rich in golden plenty;
So
on then, from Thy mouth adored,
Th
ine eternal kiss accord.

August 12. 1895.

29. MY HEAVEN HERE BELOW 
Translated by Alan Bancroft 1996



1.      Your picture, Jesus, like a star 

Is guiding me! And, ah, You know 
Your Features - grace itself they are 
To me, are Heaven here below. 
Your weeping ... that to Love appears 
As ornament - attractiveness! 
I'm smiling while I'm shedding tears 
At seeing You in your distress. 


2.      To comfort You, I want to be 

Unknown upon the earth. Below 
Your Beauty's veiled, and yet to me 
Reveals its Mystery! and, oh, 
Would I, to You, were flying free! 


3.      Your Face ... my only Homeland, and 

The Kingdom, too, where Love has sway: 
And it's my smiling meadowland, 
The gentle Sun of every day: 
The Lily of the Valley - ah, 
Its perfume's Mystery! I'm giv'n 
What consolation from afar - 
A foretaste of the Peace of Heav'n. 


4.      Your Face - repose and tenderness 

Is truly my melodious lyre ... 
Bouquet of Myrrh, I would caress 
(Such gentleness do You inspire!), 
That safely to my heart I'd press .... 


5.      Your Face ... ah, only that will be 

The wealth I ask as revenue:
I'll hide in it, unceasingly; 
Then, Jesus, I'll resemble You. 
Imprint in me those traits divine 
Your Gentleness of Face imparts; 
Holiness, then, will soon be mine 
To You I'll be attracting hearts. 


6.      So I can gather souls - it's this, 

A golden harvest, I desire - 
Set me aflame! And, soon, in bliss, 
Grant that sweet burning of Your Fire, 
Your lips in an eternal Kiss! 





1 comment:

Lepanto said...

'Et vers toi je voudrais voler!'. My French is rubbish but surely the above line is something like: 'Towards you I wish to fly'.