EGO SUM
(French—English Translation)
Mon coeur est en émoi et mon âme soupire; Te connaître, Seigneur, est mon plus grand désir. Dis-moi, ô Dieu très bon, Dis-moi, quel est Ton nom?
“Ego Sum, Ego Sum. Je suis Celui qui suis...
Je suis l’Alpha et l’Omega; Je suis le Tout et l’Infini.
Je suis le Verbe, Je suis l’Esprit, Le Père et le Fils à la fois.”
Mais moi, je suis un homme.
“Ego Sum. Ego Sum; Je suis Celui qui suis...
Je suis Sagesse, Je suis Folie.
Je suis le Coeur, Je suis l’Amour; Je suis l’Ami de tous les jours;
Je suis la Mort, Je suis la Vie.”
Mais moi, je suis un homme.
“Ego Sum. Ego Sum; Je suis Celui qui suis...
Je suis la Coupe et le Pain blanc;
Je suis le Prêtre et l’Oraison.
Je suis le Samba et la Chanson, Bouche et Parole en même temps.”
Mais moi, je suis un homme.
“Ego Sum. Ego Sum; Je suis Celui qui suis...
Je suis la Source et le Ruisseau;
Je suis le Sage et le Prophète.
Je suis la Tombe et le Berceau;
Je suis la Muse et le Poète.”
Et moi, je suis un homme.
Mais de par Ton Amour, je deviens tout cela; Parce qu’à Ton Image, Un jour Tu me créas.
Merci. Seigneur, Merci.
-Gabriel T. Guillaume
Miami, FL. April 2009
My heart is troubled and my spirit sighs; To know You, Lord, is my greatest desire. Tell me, oh greatest God, Tell me, what is Your name?
“Ego Sum. Ego Sum; I am that I am... I am Alpha and Omega; I am Everything, I am the Infinite. I am the Word, I am the Spirit. The Father and the Son all at once.”
But me, I am a man.
“Ego Sum. Ego Sum; I am that I am... I am Wisdom, I am Madness. I am the Heart and I am Love; I am the everyday Friend; I am Death and I am Life.”
But me, I am just a man.
“Ego Sum. Ego Sum; I am that I am... I am the Cup, I am the Bread; I am the Priest and the Prayer. I am the Troubadour, I am the Song. Mouth and Words at the same time.”
But me, I am only a man.
“Ego Sum. Ego Sum; I am that I am... I am the Source, I am the Stream; I am the Sage and the Prophet. I am the Tomb and the Cradle; I am the Muse and the Poet.”
And me, I am a man. But through Your Love, I become all of this; Because in Your Own Image, One day, You created me.
Thank You, Lord. Thank You.
EGO SUM
(Philosophie du Poème)
De tous temps, l’homme cherche une expression pour définir le Créateur de l’Univers. Mais aucune définition proposée par les grands Sages ne peut vraiment contenir toute la grandeur et toute la magnificence de cet Être Suprême qui est Dieu.
En définitive, Dieu seul peut se révéler. Il l’a fait à Moîse dans Exode, chapitre 3, verset 14, en déclarant: “EGO SUM; Je suis Celui qui suis”.
Le dialogue Homme-Dieu aboutit à cette heureuse constatation du poète fançais: “L’homme est un dieu tombé qui se souvient des cieux...”
-Gabriel T. Guillaume
EGO SUM
(Central Theme of the Poem)
Man has searched for an expression to define the Creator of the Universe since the beginning of time. But none of the definitions proposed by the great Mystics can truly explain the greatness and the magnificence of this Supreme Being that is God.
Ultimately, only God can reveal himself. He did so to Moise in Exodus, chapter 3 verse 14, declaring: “EGO SUM; I am that I am”.
The Man-God dialogue leads to this wonderful ascertainment of the French poet: “Man is a fallen god who remembers heaven...”
About the Composer
Sydney Guillaume (b. 1982), originally from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, came to the United States at the age of 11. His compositions have been praised by the Miami Herald for their “impressive maturity and striking melodic distinction.” In 2004, he was named the Outstanding Graduate for the Department of Music Theory and Composition at the University of Miami Frost School of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Music in Composition with an emphasis in Media Writing and Production.
Taking great pride in his Haitian roots, Sydney hopes that his music will serve as an ambassador for his country and foster an awareness of the beautiful culture that exists amidst the economic and political turmoil. Sydney is in high demand for commissioned works from renowned choirs such as The University of Miami Frost Chorale, The Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Seraphic Fire, Illinois Wesleyan University Collegiate Choir, The Young New Yorkers Chorus, The Miami Children’s Chorus, and Kokopelli Choir. His music has been performed at ACDA, All-State conventions, and abroad. Beyond choral music, Sydney also writes film scores for Loyola Productions, a non-profit creative media company, aiming to promote awareness of cultural and social justice issues. Sydney currently resides in Los Angeles.
To hear a full-length recording of Ego Sum, please visit: www.waltonmusic.com
Duration: Approx.7:40
For an IPA pronunciation guide as well as an audio pronunciation recording, please visit the composer’s website www.sydneyguillaume.com
Soprano Alto
Tenor Bass Keyboard (for rehearsal only)
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