The English version presented below is a literal, word-for-word translation. It attempts to preserve the poet's word order as far as possible, for a better appreciation of the composer's musical treatment of individual words and phrases. Download track from iTunes.

Dans un parfum de roses blanches,
Elle est assise et songe;
Et l’ombre est belle comme s’il s’y mirait un ange...

L’ombre descend, le bosquet dort;
Entre les feuilles et les branches,
Sur le paradis bleu s’ouvre un paradis d’or;

Une voix qui chantait, tout à l’heure, murmure...
Un murmure s’exhale en haleine et s’éteint.
Dans le silence il tombe des pétales...

Charles Van Lerberghe

In a perfume of white roses
Eve sits and dreams;
And the shade is as beautiful as if an angel were reflected in it.

The shadow falls, the thicket sleeps;
Among the leaves and branches,
On top of the blue paradise, opens out a golden paradise.

A voice which was singing earlier now murmurs...
A murmur breathes out and dies away.
In the silence petals fall...