Salomé (Salomé)

How lovely is the Princess Salome tonight

Look at the moon's disk, how strange it looks

Like a woman who steps out of the grave

It is very strange

Like a little princess whose feet are white doves

One could imagine it is dancing

Like a woman who is dead

It glides slowly along

What is that commotion?

What are those wild animals who are howling?

The Jews

They are always like that

They are quarrelling over their religion

I find it laughable to quarrel over such things

How lovely is the Princess Salome tonight

You always look at her

You look at her too much

It is dangerous to look at people in this manner

Dreadful things can happen

She is very lovely this evening

The Tetrarch looks so grim

Yes, he looks grim

At whom is he looking?

I don't know

How pale the Princess is

Never have I seen her so pale

She is like the shadow of a white rose in a silver mirror

You must not look at her. You look at her too much

Dreadful things can happen

After me, One will come who is stronger than me

I am not worthy to loosen the laces on his shoes

When He comes, the deserted towns will rejoice

When He comes, the eyes of the blind will see daylight

When He comes, the ears of the deaf will be opened

Make him be quiet!

He is a holy man

He always says laughable things

He is very gentle

Every day when I give him food to eat

He thanks me

Who is it'?

A PYOphet

What is his name'?

Jokanaan

Whence does he come'?

From the desert

A crowd of disciples was always around him

What does he speak about?

It's impossible to understand what he says

Can one see him?

No, the Tetrarch has forbidden it

The Princess is rising

She is leaving the table

She is very upset. She is coming here

Don't look at her

Yes, she is coming towards us

I beg you, don't look at her

She is like a bewildered dove

I don't want to stay. I cannot stay

Why does the Tetrarch always look at me in such a way

With his mole-eyes under his blinking eyelids?

It is strange that my mother's husband looks at me like that

How sweet the air is here

Here I can breathe

Inside there sit Jews from Jerusalem

Ripping one another apart over their foolish sacred rites

Silent, cunning Egyptians and brutal, coarse Romans

With their gross language

Oh, howl hate these Romans!

Dreadful things will happen

Why do you look at her in such a way'?

How good it is to look at the moon

It is like a silver flower

Cool and chaste

Yes, like the pure beauty of a virgin

See, the Lord has come

The Son of Man is near

Who was it that cried here?

The Prophet, Princess

Ah, the Prophet!

The one the Tetrarch is afraid of'?

We know nothing about that, Princess

It was the Prophet Jokanaan who called out here

Do you desire that I have your litter brought to you, Princess?

The night is pleasant in the garden

He says terrible things about my mother, it is not so'?

We never understand what he says, Princess

Yes, he says terrible things about her

Princess, the Tetrarch requests that you return to the feast

I don't want to go back in

Is this Prophet an old man'?

Princess, it would be better to go back in

Allow me to escort you inside

Is this Prophet an old man'?

No, Princess, he is quite young

Rejoice not, thou land of Palestine

Because the rod of he who smote you is broken

For from of the seed of the serpent

A basilisk will come

And its brood will devour all the birds

What a curious voice! I would like to speak with him

Princess, the Tetrarch won't allow anyone to speak to him

He even forbade the High Priest to speak to him

I wish to speak to him

It is impossible, Princess

I want to speak to him

Bring this Prophet out

We are not allowed to do this, Princess

How black it is down there

It must be terrible to live in such a black cave

It is like a tomb

Haven't you heard?

Bring this Prophet out

I would like to see him

Princess, we are not allowed to do what you ask of us

Oh, what will happen?

I know, dreadful things will happen

You will do it for me

Narraboth, won't you?

I was always well disposed towards you

You will do it for me

I only want to see him, this strange Prophet

People have spoken of him so much

I think the Tetrarch is afraid of him

The Tetrarch has expressly forbidden

That anyone should raise the lid of this cistern

You will do it for me, Narraboth

And tomorrow, when I go past in a litter

At the gateway where the idol-sellers stand

I will let a little flower fall for you

A small, green little flower

Princess, I can't

You will do it for me, Narraboth

You know, you will do it for me

And tomorrow morning I will dart a glance at you

Narraboth, under my muslin veils

I will look at you

Maybe I will smile at you

Look at me, Narraboth

How well you know you will do what I ask of you

How you know it

I know you will do it

Let the Prophet come out

The Princess Salome wishes to see him

Where is he, whose cup of sins now runneth over'?

Where is he, the one who one day

Will die in a silver robe before the face of all people?

Bid him come here

So that he may hear the voice of He

Who crieth in the wilderness

And crieth aloud in the palaces of kings

Whom is he talking about?

No one can say, Princess

Where is she, who succumbed to the lust of her eyes

Who stood before brightly painted pictures of men

And sent envoys to Chaldea?

He speaks of my mother

No, no, Princess

Yes, he speaks of my mother

Where is she, who gave herself to the Assyrian captains?

Where is she

Who gave herself to the young Egyptian men

Glittering in their fine linen and hyacinth stone inlays

With their golden shields and bodies like giants?

Go, bid her rise from the bed of her abomination

From the bed of her incest

So that she may hear the words of He...

He who prepares the path for our Lord

And thus rue her misdeeds

And if she will not repent, ask her to come here

For the scourge of the Lord is in his hand

He is terrible

He is truly terrible

Don't stay here, Princess, I beg you

His eyes are the most frightening thing of all

They are like black caves where the dragons dwell

They are like black lakes from which demented moonlight flickers

Do you think that he will speak again?

Don't stay here, Princess, I beg you

Don't stay here

How emaciated he is

He looks like a statue of ivory

Surely he is as chaste as the moon

His flesh must be very cool

Cool as ivory

I would like to look at him more closely

No, no, Princess!

I must look more closely at him

Princess!

Who is this woman who is looking at me'?

I don't want her to stare at me

Why does she look at me this way

With her golden eyes under her glistening eyelids?

I don't know who she is

I don't want to know who she is

Bid her leave!

I don't wish to speak to her

I am Salome, the daughter of Herodias

Princess of Judea

Stand back, daughter of Babylon!