| PLANH | NOW I TAKE LEAVE OF SONG ... |
| Raimbaut de Vaqueiras | trans. James H. Donalson (from Provençal) |
|
Ar pren camgat per tostemps de xantar, e laix solaz e gauig e alegrer, e viure tristz, marritz, ab cossirer per tostemps mays, c'aixi·m cove a far, pus mort' es leys que hom no pot blasmar de nuylla re qui·l sia malestan; no m'a que far uymays solaz ne xan. En mon pays jamays no vuyl estar, car no·y vey res qui·m pusca far plaser. Las! que faray, que axi·m desesper? Qu'eu no vey res qui·m pusca alegrar a tan gran dol, tan greu per conortar, qu'eu mays non cuyt veser d'aytal semblan, ne jes la mort no·m pot far major dan. A seyner Deus! de vos no·m puix lauçar, c'aytal fora, s'eu m'agues lo poder. Ben la volgra a mos obs retener sol per aysso qu'eu posques remirar ses grans bontatz un hom no troba par, e·l seu bel cors asalt e benestan, e la valor eܧ pretz c'avia gran. A! co m'es greu, can no puix demostrar con suy iratz ne co·m dey captener. Pus iratz suy qu'eu no fas aparer, e ay ne dret, car anc major pezar no·m por far mort: assatz he que plorar! Al ver seynor la su' arma coman, que la meta lay davan sen Johan. Oymays ben puix lo sen bo pretz lauzar, car anc no vi myls dona xaptener endret valor, ne segons son poder fazia be ço quid fos benestan; plazen era en fayt e en parlan, qu'en ren d'aysso nuyl hom no es dubtan, per qu'eu la am mays tostemps sens engan. Segle xaytiu! als non es mas engan: un plus te vey, mays te vay meynsprezan. |
Now I take leave of song for evermore and leave companionship and joy and mirth, and I'll live sad, afflicted and with care for evermore, as it's the thing to do, since she is dead whom no man can accuse of anything that might discredit her; I'll nevermore want fellowship and song. I do not want to see my country now, for I see nothing there that pleases me, Ah! what to do? since I'm in such despair that I see nothing that can cheer me up in such a sorrow, deep and comfortless: I'll never see a face like hers again not even death can do me greater harm. Lord God, I can't give all my praise, for she would still live on if I but had the pow'r. I would have liked to keep her for myself just so that I might constantly review her kindnesses, unequalled on the earth, her graceful, comely, shapely body too, and greatness of her merit and her worth. How hard it is for me when I can't show how sad I am and I must hold it in; for I am sadder than I let appear; I have the right, for death cannot cause me a greater sorrow: much I must bewail! I now commend her soul to the true Lord, and may he take it down before Saint John. Well may I praise her merits from henceforth: I never saw a lady take the lead in worth, and she did all within her pow'r of works and deeds she thought expedient; and she was pleasing in her deeds and speech, for in all this no one has any doubt and so without deceit, I'll love her yet. O wretched world! you're nothing but deceit: the more I see, the more contempt I hold. |
Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2003