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Non chant per auzel ni per flor
Ni per neu ni per gelada,
Ni neis per freich ni per calor
Ni per reverdir de prada;
Ni per nuill autr'esbaudimen
Non chan ni non fui chantaire,
Mas per midonz en cui m'enten,
Car es del mon la bellaire.

Ar sui partitz de la pejor
C'anc fos vista ni trobada,
Et am del mon la bellazor
Dompna, e la plus prezada;
E farai ho al mieu viven:
Que d'alres non sui amaire,
Car ieu cre qu'ill a bon talen
Ves mi, segon mon vejaire.

Ben aurai, dompna, grand honor
Si ja de vos m'es jutgada
Honranssa que sotz cobertor
Vos tenga nud'embrassada;
Car vos valetz las meillors cen!
Q'ieu non sui sobregabaire –
Sol del pes ai mon cor gauzen
Plus que s'era emperaire!

De midonz fatz dompn'e seignor
Cals que sia·il destinada.
Car ieu begui de la amor
Ja·us dei amar a celada.
Tristan, qan la·il det Yseus gen
E bela, no·n saup als faire;
Et ieu am per aital coven
Midonz, don no·m posc estraire.

Sobre totz aurai gran valor
S'aitals camisa m'es dada
Cum Yseus det a l'amador,
Que mais non era portada.
Tristan! Mout presetz gent presen:
D'aital sui eu enquistaire!
Si·l me dona cill cui m'enten,
No·us port enveja, bels fraire.

Vejatz, dompna, cum Dieus acor
Dompna que d'amar s'agrada.
Q'Iseutz estet en gran paor,
Puois fon breumens conseillada;
Qu'il fetz a son marit crezen
C'anc hom que nasques de maire
Non toques en lieis. – Mantenen
Atrestal podetz vos faire!

Carestia, esgauzimen
M'aporta d'aicel repaire
On es midonz, qe·m ten gauzen
Plus q'ieu eis non sai retraire.

I do not sing for bird nor for flower
nor for snow nor for frost
nor for cold, oh no!, nor for heat
nor for the meadows that turn green again;
no: no other marvel
I sing, or ever did sing,
but my lady, in whom I am well pleased
for she is the most beautiful woman on Earth.

I have now departed from the worst
lady that was ever seen or found,
and I love of this world the fairest
lady, and the most precious one;
and I shall do so till I die:
for I shan't love aught else
for I believe she is quite fond
of me, as far as I can see.

Lady, I shall, indeed, be greatly honoured
if I am granted by you
the privilege of holding you
naked under blankets;
for you are worth the best hundred women;
and I am not overly boastful:
at the sole thought, my heart rejoices
more than if I were the emperor.

Wherever my destiny lies,
I make of my lady my master and liege;
since I drank of [the cup of] love,
I shall love forever secretly.
Tristan, when the noble, fair
Isolde gave it to him, couldn't do otherwise;
and I love my lady with an oath
such that I cannot renounce it.

I shall be esteemed over everybody else
if I am given a vestment such
as the one Isolde gave her lover,
for it was never donned.
Tristan! Greatly you prized that noble gift,
and of it I am the questant;
if the one whom I court gifts me with it,
I bear you no envy, fair brother.

See, lady, how god succours
a lady who is prone to loving.
For Isolde was in great fear,
and then she was soon aided;
for she had her husband believe
that no man born of woman
had touched her – Presently,
you can do the same thing!

Carestia, bring me joy
from that shelter
where is my lady, who keeps me rejoicing
more than I myself can tell.