prosody | miscellaneous |
Oimais m'auretz avinen De chantar e de solatz Vos autre, a cui jois platz, Quar tan trop de chauzimen Qu'emendamen n'ai sivals. E si·m creissia captals De joi, mai m'alegraria. No per tan, que be sabria Mon cor destrenher d'aitan Que ja nulhs hom a mon chan Gran joi no·m conoisseria. Pero chantan e rizen Pot estar quetz e selatz Qui savis es ni membratz; Et ieu sui be d'aital sen, Que no·m es hom tan corals Que no·m sembles deslials Pueis que mon joi m'enquerria. E selh qu'enans cujaria Saber mon cor demandan, Sabria·n al cap de l'an Aitant cum al primier dia. En re, al mieu essien Non a ops hom mielhs senatz Qu'en amar, quar si amatz Et etz de leugier talen, Seretz de parlar venals, Quar de trop parlar ve mals. Sabetz quals? Pert n'om s'amia. Per que·l sens i tanheria Que capdeles lo talan, Qu'aissi vai amors enan E dechai per leujairia. Oi no m'es re tan plazen, Dona, cum quan m'esgardatz, Ab que·l cors m'aia mandatz Los huelhs qu'als no vau queren. Ai! Qu'ai dig? - Etz vos donc tals Que ja·m fassatz semblan fals? Vos non! Pero tan volria Gauzir, dona, si·us plazia, Essems lo joi e l'afan Qu'ieu en tem, quar o vuelh tan; Sol per aisso dic folhia. E·us am per vostre joven, E·us am quar i es beutatz E·us am quar ades gensatz, E·us am per vostre cors gen, E vos am quar etz leials, E vos am quar etz cabals, E·us am per vostra conhdia, E·us am per plazen paria, E·us am quar etz ses engan, Qu'aissi etz fait' a garan, Que mais ni meins no·i tanhia. Lausengier ja no creiria Mots amanz, si no sabia L'onor que·m fezes l'autr'an; Si·us am, que·m fos malestan, Ans sai que·m o graziria. Si·l reina no sufria Valor del tot dechairia, Elionors, que donan Ab honor e s·i gardan Melhura de pretz quec dia. |
At last, you'll find me amenable to song and frolic, you who like joy, for you have so much consideration that I find comfort in you. And if my degree of joy grew, I'd be the happier for it. But not too much: for I would know well how to restrain my heart enough that nobody would recognize great joy by my song. Although singing and laughing, one who is wise and considerate can remain quiet and secretive; and I am of such disposition that nobody is so close to me that he doesn't seem disloyal to me after he'd ask about my happiness. And he who would think, from the start, to know my thoughts by asking would know them, at the end of the year, just as well as the first day. In nothing (in my opinion) does a man need more discretion than in love (because, if you are loved and are light-hearted, you'll be open in talking) because evil comes from talking too much. Do you know which? One loses his mistress. For one needs discretion that controls the will for thus progresses love, while it wanes out of frivolity. Today, nothing is as pleasant to me, lady, as when you look at me, as long as your heart has directed your eyes: for I don't ask for anything else. Ah! What have I said? Are you, then, such as would give me false appearance? Not you! But I'd so much like to enjoy, if you allowed it, the joy and pain together, for I fear it, so much I want it; and for this only I say foolish things. And I love you for your youth and I love you because you are a beauty and I love you because you get more beautiful every minute and I love you for your kind heart and I love you because you are loyal and I love you because you are perfect and I love you for your grace and I love your pleasant company and I love you because you are without deceit, for you are made with such measure that nothing more, or less, behoves you. Yet, slanderers, I wouldn't believe [your] words [to be] flattering if I didn't know of the honour you did me last year; therefore I love you, who were ill-intentioned, and even know [your words] will glorify [me]. If the queen did not sustain it, valour would decay altogether, Eleanor who, by giving with honour and watching herself, improves her virtue every day. |