Translations from the French of Madame de la Mothe Guion

Season of my purest pleasure,

Sealer of observing eyes!

When, in larger, freer measure,

I can commune with the skies;

While, beneath thy shade extended,

Weary man forgets his woes,

I, my daily trouble ended,

Find, in watching, my repose.

Silence all around prevailing,

Nature hushed in slumber sweet,

No rude noise mine ears assailing,

Now my God and I can meet:

Universal nature slumbers,

And my soul partakes the calm,

Breathes her ardour out in numbers,

Plaintive song or lofty psalm.

Now my passion, pure and holy,

Shines and burns without restraint;

Which the day's fatigue and folly

Cause to languish, dim and faint:

Charming hours of relaxation!

How I dread the ascending sun!

Surely, idle conversation

Is an evil matched by none.

Worldly prate and babble hurt me;

Unintelligible prove;

Neither teach me nor divert me;

I have ears for none but love.

Me they rude esteem, and foolish,

Hearing my absurd replies;

I have neither art's fine polish,

Nor the knowledge of the wise.

Simple souls, and unpolluted

By conversing with the great,

Have a mind and taste ill suited

To their dignity and state;

All their talking, reading, writing,

Are but talents misapplied;

Infants' prattle I delight in,

Nothing human choose beside.

'Tis the secret fear of sinning

Checks my tongue, or I should say,

When I see the night beginning,

I am glad of parting day:

Love this gentle admonition

Whispers soft within my breast;

“Choice befits not thy condition,

Acquiescence suits thee best.”

Henceforth, the repose and pleasure

Night affords me I resign;

And thy will shall be the measure,

Wisdom infinite! of mine:

Wishing is but inclination

Quarrelling with thy decrees;

Wayward nature finds the occasion—

'Tis her folly and disease.

Night, with its sublime enjoyments,

Now no longer will I choose;

Nor the day, with its employments,

Irksome as they seem, refuse;

Lessons of a God's inspiring

Neither time nor place impedes;

From our wishing and desiring

Our unhappiness proceeds.