| prosody | miscellaneous |
Gerras ni plaich no.m son bo Contr' amor e nuill endreig, E cel fabrega fer freig Q'en vol ses dan far son pro, C'aissi.m vol amors aucire Cum auci.ls sieus seigner mals, Qan sa gerra m'es mortals E sa patz pieitz de martire; E s'anc jorn fom enemic, Anc Tibauz ab Lodoyc No fetz plait ab tans plazers Cum eu, qan sos tortz m'esders. Car per esmend' e per do M'a sobre.ls amans eleig Ma dompn', on son tuit bon deig Pausat en bella faisso, Don muor d'ir' e de conssire, Car no.m n'estai comunals Amors! c'ab sospirs corals M'auci.l bels semblans trazire De lieis cui am ses cor tric, C'ab joven gerrei' antic, Qu'il val sobre totz valers, So.m mostr' auzirs e vezers. Qan pens cals es ni qui so, Be.m sui mes en ord' estreig, E s'ieu qier mais que non deig, Sa gran beutat n'ochaiso Qe.m forss' e.m fai l'orguoill dire, E sa colors naturals, C'ades genss' e no.i mescl' als Mas gais solatz ab doutz rire; E pos tant amar si.m gic, Pauc l'enanso.il miei destric, E si.l sieus bels digz es vers, Tot don val mos bos espers. Si m'estassetz a razo, Bella dompna, ni a dreig, Ja no.m tengratz tant destreig En vostr' onrada preiso, Don non ai poder qe.m vire, Anz sui tant fis e leials Vas vos que vas mi.n sui fals, E.us am tant que mi n'azire; E s'ieu no.n fauc tant ni.n dic Cum s'ataing al vost' amic, Als faitz m'en sofraing poders Et al vostre laus sabers. En luoc de faitz d'aut baro Vos am e.us prec e.us dompneig, E.l vostre bel cors adreig Laus e gard a cui ni co, E qan puosc ben far, no.i tire, Q'esser deu vostr' amics tals Que si' entre.ls pros cabals; E car sofretz q'ie.us desire, Cuig esser pars del plus ric, E qan d'autras mi fadic, No m'o fai far nocalers, Mas vostr' onratz capteners. E non es ni er ni fo Gensser de neguna leig Ni mieiller, per q'ieu enpleig Lo mieu oc el vostre no, E si fos del plus gauzire, Al dieu d'amor for' engals, Q'el sieu paradis sui sals Car vos sui hom e servire, Qe.l sieu meillor san prezic; Mas fals lausengier enic M'ant tout als precs mains lezers, Aissi.m tol mains gaugz temers. Dompna, .l bos conseills m'er mals Qe.m detz, si no.m donatz als, E car non l'aus contradire, Don vos l'onrat conseill ric De l'emperador Fredric, C'aissi.m taing mais de plazers Cum sui d'amans lo plus vers. Lo rics pretz sobrecabls De na Biatriz es tals C'om no.l pot tot lauzan dire; Mas endreig d'amor vos dic De mon Bel Cavallier ric C'a mais de pretz, et es vers, Aissi n'ai' eu mos plazers! |
Neither war nor treaties are any good to me in my dealings against Love, and he who wants to advance his cause without loss is forging cold iron, because love wants to kill me the same way an evil lord kills his own men, since its war is deadly to me and its peace worse than martyrdom; and yet, if ever we were enemies, Thibaut didn't make his treaty with Louis with as much gladness as I did, when it redressed its wrongs against me. For, as a reparation and gift, my lady, in which all qualities are placed in elegant array, has lifted me above all lovers, whereby I die of sorrow and care, for this love is one-sided. With heart-rending sighs, the treacherous comely aspect of her whom I love with a loyal heart kills me, for with her beauty she fights her elders, since her worth surpasses everyone's: so sight and hearing show me. When I think about who she is and who I am, I deserve to be put under close watch, and if I entreat more than I should, her great beauty takes the blame, since it forces me and makes me say proud things, and so does her natural hue, which she makes even lovelier, and doesn't mix with anything but bright enjoyment and sweet laughter; and since she lets me love so much, my pain profits her but little, and if her fair words are truthful, my great expectations are worth any gift. If you dealt fairly with me, beautiful lady, and according to right, you wouldn't keep me restrained so in your honoured cage, from which I have no power to free myself; instead I am so constant and loyal towards you that I am unfaithful to myself, and love you so much that I despise myself; and if I don't do, nor say, so much as would behove your lover, it is because I lack the power for that, and the learning to weave you a proper praise. Instead of the deeds of a high nobleman, I love you and entreat you and court you, and praise and defend, in every occasion, your beautiful upright body, and when I can do good, I don't hesitate, since your lover must be one such as is counted among the valiant and perfect; and since you tolerate that I desire you, I think I am among the wealthiest, and when I grow tired of other women, it isn't out of indifference, but because of your honourable bearing. There isn't, there never was and never will there be, of any breed, a woman more gracious, nor a better one; therefore I bend my "yes" to your "no" and if I were to enjoy you fully, I would be equal to the god of love, for in his heaven is my salvation, since I am your liege-man and your servant and so I worship its best saint. But the false and wicked slanderers have deprived me of all opportunities of entreaty and, likewise, awe deprives me of much happiness. Lady, the good advice you gave me will bode me ill, if you don't give me more; and since I don't dare contradict it, I give you the honourable, splendid counsel of the Emperor Frederick, since I deserve much pleasure for being the truest lover. The noble, outstanding worth of Dame Beatriz is such that one cannot describe it in praises; but as far as love is concerned, I tell you that my noble Beautiful Knight is worthier: and it is true, so may I enjoy her! |