| BERNART DE VENTADORN, DEL CHAN ... |
BERNART DE VENTADORN, I'VE COME ... |
| Bernart de Ventadorn | trans. James H. Donalson (from Provençal) |
|
Bernart de Ventadorn, del chan vos sui sai vengutz assalhir. car vos vei estar en cossir, no posc mudar que no·us deman co·us vai d'amor. Avetz-en ges? be par que no·us en venha bes, Lemozi, no·us posc en chantan respondre, ne i sai avenir. mos cors me vol de dol partir, bels amics, a Deu vos coman, que mort m'a una mala res, c'anc no·n me valc Deus ni merces. Bernart, s'anc no·us fetz bel semblan, enquera·s pot esdevenir. no·s tanh c'om ab amor s'azir can la troba de son talan. pauc gazanha drutz d'ira ples, car per un dol n'a dos o tres. Lemozi, mout fetz gran enjan la bela qui·m pogr' enrequir, que, can mi poc de se aizir, et ela·m tornet en soan. no i a conort qui fort no·m pes, car o ilh es, cosselh no·n pres. Bernart, totz om deu aver dan, s'a la cocha no sap sofrir; c'amors se vol soven servir; e si so tenetz ad afan tot es perdut, s'anc re·us promes, si n'eran plevidas mil fes. |
Bernart de Ventadorn, I've come to question you about your songs because I see you are concerned, and I can't keep from asking you: how fares your love, how is your luck? It seems to me it isn't good. O Limousin, I can't reply in song. I can't accomplish this. My heart's about to break with grief: good friend, commend yourself to God; an evil thing has killed me now and neither God nor pity helps. Bernard, mine's not a friendly face, however, I could change it yet. It isn't right to snarl at love when it is what is to your taste, and you can't please an angry love who for a pain gives two or three. O Limousin, the beauty's played a trick, but it could make me rich: for when I could have taken her, that's just when she rejected me; There is no comfort, only grief for where she is, no counsel's there. Bernard, all men should have some harm if they can't face a time of need; Love often wants our services, and if you think that's difficult then all is lost, with promises though they were sworn to thousandfold. |
Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2004