Guilhen de Peiteu: Vers 2

Compagno, non puesc mudar qu'eo no m'effrei
De novellas qu'ai auzidas et que vei:
Qu'una domna s'es clamada de sos gardadors a mei.
Comrades, I don't know where to turn without being upset
about a case I am called to judge:
because a woman complains to me about her wardens.

E diz que non volo prendre dreit ni lei,
Ans la teno esserrada quada trei:
Tant l'us no-ill larga l'estaca que l'altre plus no la-ill plei.
And she says that they don't acknowledge either custom or law;
instead, they keep her locked, all the three of them,
so much that when one loosens her snares, the others tighten them more.

Et aquill fan entre lor aital agrei:
L'us es compains gens a foc mandacarrei,
E meno trop major nausa que la mainada del rei.
And they behave in such a way
(one is as courtly as a hangman's noose)
and they make more noise than the King's gang.

Et eu dic vos, gardador, e vos castei:
e sera ben grans folia qui no-m crei:
Greu verretz neguna garda que ad oras non sonei.
And I tell you, wards, and I admonish you,
and it shall be a proper fool he who doesn't believe me:
there harldy is a warden who doesn't sometimes doze.

Qu'eu anc non vi nulla domn'ab tan gran fei,
Qui non vol prendre son plait o sa mercei,
S'om l'aloigna de proessa, que ab malvestatz non plaidei.
Since I never saw a woman so steadfast
that she wouldn't want to take what she likes or deserves,
and who, if kept from worth, wouldn't turn to depravity.

E si-l tenez a cartat lo bon conrei,
Adoba-s d'aquel que troba viron sei:
Si non pot aver caval, ela compra palafrei.
And if you keep her from proper harness
she'll do with what she finds around herself
and if she can't have a steed, she'll buy a palfrey.

Non i a negu de vos ia-m desautrei,
S'om li vedava vi fort per malavei,
Non begues enanz de l'aiga que-s laissez morir de sei.
None of you would contradict me if I said
that if one were forbidden to drink strong wine because of an illness,
he would drink water rather than letting himself die of thirst.

Chascus beuri'ans de l'aiga que-s laises morir dessei
Everyone would drink water rather than dying of thirst!

Compagno, non puesc mudar qu'eo no m'effrei De novellas qu'ai auzidas et que vei: Qu'una domna s'es clamada de sos gardadors a mei.	Comrades, I don't know where to turn without being upset about a case I am called to judge: because a woman complains to me about her wardens.
E diz que non volo prendre dreit ni lei, Ans la teno esserrada quada trei: Tant l'us no-ill larga l'estaca que l'altre plus no la-ill plei.	And she says that they don't acknowledge either custom or law; instead, they keep her locked, all the three of them, so much that when one loosens her snares, the others tighten them more.
Et aquill fan entre lor aital agrei: L'us es compains gens a foc mandacarrei, E meno trop major nausa que la mainada del rei.	And they behave in such a way (one is as courtly as a hangman's noose) and they make more noise than the King's gang.
Et eu dic vos, gardador, e vos castei: e sera ben grans folia qui no-m crei: Greu verretz neguna garda que ad oras non sonei.	And I tell you, wards, and I admonish you, and it shall be a proper fool he who doesn't believe me: there harldy is a warden who doesn't sometimes doze.
Qu'eu anc non vi nulla domn'ab tan gran fei, Qui non vol prendre son plait o sa mercei, S'om l'aloigna de proessa, que ab malvestatz non plaidei.	Since I never saw a woman so steadfast that she wouldn't want to take what she likes or deserves, and who, if kept from worth, wouldn't turn to depravity.
E si-l tenez a cartat lo bon conrei, Adoba-s d'aquel que troba viron sei: Si non pot aver caval, ela compra palafrei.	And if you keep her from proper harness she'll do with what she finds around herself and if she can't have a steed, she'll buy a palfrey.
Non i a negu de vos ia-m desautrei, S'om li vedava vi fort per malavei, Non begues enanz de l'aiga que-s laissez morir de sei.	None of you would contradict me if I said that if one were forbidden to drink strong wine because of an illness, he would drink water rather than letting himself die of thirst.
Chascus beuri'ans de l'aiga que-s laises morir dessei	Everyone would drink water rather than dying of thirst!