Translation of the song Le Vampire artist Charles Baudelaire

Toi qui, comme un coup de couteau,

You, who like a dagger ploughed

Dans mon cœur plaintif es entrée ;

Into my heart with deadly thrill:

Toi qui, forte comme un troupeau

You who, stronger than a crowd

De démons, vins, folle et parée,

Of demons, mad, and dressed to kill,

De mon esprit humilié

Of my dejected soul have made

Faire ton lit et ton domaine ;

Your bed, your lodging, and domain:

— Infâme à qui je suis lié

To whom I'm linked (Unseemly jade!)

Comme le forçat à la chaîne,

As is a convict to his chain,

Comme au jeu le joueur têtu,

Or as the gamester to his dice,

Comme à la bouteille l'ivrogne,

Or as the drunkard to his dram,

Comme aux vermines la charogne

Or as the carrion to its lice —

— Maudite, maudite sois-tu !

I curse you. Would my curse could damn!

J'ai prié le glaive rapide

I have besought the sudden blade

De conquérir ma liberté,

To win for me my freedom back.

Et j'ai dit au poison perfide

Perfidious poison I have prayed

De secourir ma lâcheté.

To help my cowardice. Alack!

Hélas ! le poison et le glaive

Both poison and the sword disdained

M'ont pris en dédain et m'ont dit:

My cowardice, and seemed to say

«Tu n'es pas digne qu'on t'enlève

You are not fit to be unchained

À ton esclavage maudit,

From your damned servitude. Away,

Imbécile ! — de son empire

You imbecile! since if from her empire

Si nos efforts te délivraient,

We were to liberate the slave,

Tes baisers ressusciteraient

You'd raise the carrion of your vampire,

Le cadavre de ton vampire !»

By your own kisses, from the grave.