| DER HOF ZE WIENE SPRACH ZE MIR ... | VIENNA’S COURT DECLARED TO ME ... |
| Walter von der Vogelweide | trans. Tim Chilcott |
der hof ze wiene sprach ze mir walther ich solte lieben dir nû leide ich dir daz müeze got erbarmen mîn wirde diu was wîlent grôz dô lebte niender mîn genôz wan künic artûses hof sô wê mir armen wâ nû ritter unde frouwen die man bî mir solte schouwen seht wie jâmerlîch ich stê mîn dach is fûl sô rîsent mîne wende mich enminnet nieman leider silber golt ros unde kleider die gab ich unde hât ouch mê nun habe ich weder schapel noch gebende noch frowen zeinem tanze owê. | Vienna’s court declared to me, ‘Walther, I ought to be so dear to you, yet I offend. God show me pity now. My glory reached once to the skies. No court could equal mine, King Arthur’s set apart. Now, though, I’m poor. Where are the ladies and the knights that you should witness crowding here? Look how desolate I stand; my roof is rotten, walls are falling down. I’m loved by no-one now ... the bitterness ... Clothing, horses, silver, gold - I gave away, and had still more to give. I have no garlands now, no headdresses, nor ladies for the dance. |
A later evocation of the Viennese court in its decline, which movingly presents the change between past glory and present dereliction.
Trans. Copyright © Tim Chilcott 2009
See also: http://www.tclt.org.uk