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Plus que la naus q'es en la mar prionda
Non ha poder de far son dreg viatge
Entro que·l venz socor de fresc auratge
E la condui a port de salvamen,
Non ai poder - tant no·m pes ni·m albir -
Ne null respeig, vas cela cui dezir,
Que dels malstraigz null gazardo mi renda,
Tro que merces el sieu bel cors descenda.

On plus la vei, mi sembla que·s resconda,
E qui·m sona, non enten son lengatge,
Tant ai mon cor el sieu bel segnioratge
E tant es granz lo rics dos qu·eu n'aten.
E doncs, con er, s'ades no·n puesc jauzir?
Partir-m'en-ai? - Eu non, qu'auzit ai dir
Qu'ab gen servir et ab far long'atenda
Trai hom soven de bon segnor emenda.

Tot atressi com lo venz mena l'onda
Lai on li plai, sia·ill bon o salvatge,
Mi men' Amors, ab deziron coratge
Si que del tot fos a son mandamen:
Et ieu soi seus senes null contradir.
Ges no·m degra laissar aman morir
Ni dar poder, per neguna fazenda,
A ma domna que·ls seus tortz mi car venda.

Sobre totas es gaia, bella, blonda
Franqu'e gentils et ab plazent visatge,
E·l seus bels cors senes tot mal usatge,
Francs e gentils, plazens d'ensegnamen,
E sa colors plus fresca, sens mentir,
Non es roza, per qu'ieu·l voil obezir
Ar' e totz temps, e prec li que m'entenda
E que s'amors ab la mia s'asenda.

More than the ship that is above deep sea
doesn't have the power to follow its right path
until a fresh breeze comes to its aid
and leads it to the harbour of salvation,
I have neither power–I don't think, or imagine so much–
nor hope over the one I desire,
to render me any reward for the wretchedness,
until mercy descends in her beautiful body.

The more I see her, the more she seems to hide
and, whoever calls me, I don't understand his language,
so much my heart is in her beautiful allegiance
and so great the rich gift I expect from it.
And then, how is it if, in the end, I can't enjoy her?
Will I leave her? Not me, for I have heard
that, through proper service and through long waiting,
one often gets a reward from a good liege.

Just as the wind drives the wave
there where it likes, be it good or galling,
so drives me Love, with my heart's desire,
as if I were completely at his beck and call:
and I am his without any objection.
I should not ever let myself die loving
nor give power, for anything do,
to my lady to make me pay for her own wrongs.

More than anyone else, she is cheerful, beautiful, blonde
honest and kind and with a pleasant visage,
and her beautiful body, with no ill habit,
[is] graeceful and noble, and pleasant in learning;
and her hue is fresher, it's no lie,
than a rose: for this I want to obey her
now and forever, and I pray her to listen to me
and that her love burn together with mine.