I Love You Equally as the Nocturnal Vault

I love you equally as the nocturnal vault,
Oh vessel of depression, oh great silent fault,
And love you all the more that you take to flight,
And that you appear here, ornament of my nights,
More mockingly to multiply the distances
That tear my arms from the blue inexistence.

I advance to the attack, I mount the assaults,
Like a choir of worms after a cadaver exalts,
And I so cherish, oh unrelenting and cruel fool!
Even that cold by which you seem more beautiful!

I adore you equally as the nocturnal vault,
Oh vase of sadness, oh great silent one,
And love you all the more, my lovely, that you flee from me,
And that you appear to me, ornament of my nights,
More ironically to accumulate the miles
That separate my arms from the blue vastness.

I advance the attack, I mount the assaults,
Like a choir of worms after a cadaver,
And I cherish, oh relentless and cruel fool!
Even that cold by which you are made more beautiful to me!

Je t'adore à l'égal de la voûte nocturne

Je t'adore à l'égal de la voûte nocturne,
Ô vase de tristesse, ô grande taciturne,
Et t'aime d'autant plus, belle, que tu me fuis,
Et que tu me parais, ornement de mes nuits,
Plus ironiquement accumuler les lieues
Qui séparent mes bras des immensités bleues.

Je m'avance à l'attaque, et je grimpe aux assauts,
Comme après un cadavre un choeur de vermisseaux,
Et je chéris, ô bête implacable et cruelle!
Jusqu'à cette froideur par où tu m'es plus belle!

-Charles Baudelaire