Songs

Longuement me sui tenus
For a long time I’ve refrained
De faire lais,
From composing lays,
Car d’amours estoie nus,
Being empty of love,
Mais des or mais
But from now on
Ferai chans et virelais.
I’ll write songs and virelais.
G’i sui tenus,
This I’ve resolved,
Qu’en amours me sui rendus
Having surrendered to Love
A tous jours mais.
For ever more.

Se un petit ay esté mus,
If I’ve been somewhat quiet,
Je n’en puis mais,
I can no longer be,
Car pris sui et retenus,
Being captured and held,
Et au cuer trais
And shot through the heart
Tout en un lieu de .ij. trais
With two bolts right in one spot
D’uns yex fendus,
By a pair of eyes,
Vairs, poingnans, ses et agus,
Grey-green, piercing, charming, and striking,
Rians et gais.
Smiling and gay.

Car ma dame, que Diex gart,
For my lady — may God save her! —
Par un dous riant regart
Through her sweet smiling look
D’Ardant Desir fist un dart
Made one dart of burning Desire
Et un d’Esperence.
And one of Hope.
Mais mort m’eüst, sans doubtance,
But Desire, and there is no doubt,
Desirs et sans deffiance
Would have killed me with no warning
S’Espoirs ou j’ay ma fiance
Had not Hope, in whom my trust is placed,
Ne fust de ma part.
Been on my side.

Car quant je senti l’espart
For when I felt the glow
Dou regart qui mon cuer art,
Of the look that burns my heart,
Ne perdi, a tiers n’a quart,
I lost not just a third or fourth
Scens et contenance,
Of my wit and composure,
Mais tout maniere et puissance.
But all demeanour and power.
Lors me fist penre plaisence
Then Hope made me take pleasure
En ma jolie souffrance
In my sweet suffering
Espoirs par son art.
Through her skill.

Mais ce durement m’esmaie,
But I am so completely dismayed,
Que ne say
Because I don’t know
Se ceste amoureuse plaie
If this lover’s wound
Qu’au cuer ay
That’s in my heart
Vient d’Smours ou de cuer vray.
Comes from Love or a heart that’s true.
Car Dous Regars maint cuer plaie
For Sweet Look wounds many a heart
Qu’ailleurs dame amy a gay.
When the lady has some other lover who pleases.
S’en morray
And I’ll die
S’einsi m’est; mais d’amour vraie
Should this be so; but with a true love
L’ameray.
I will love her.

Ne voloir que m’en retraie
I’ll never have the will
Ja n’aray
To draw back
Pour doleur que mes cuers traie.
Because of the pain that tries my heart.
Eins seray
Rather I’ll remain
Vrais et de cuer serviray
True, serving from the heart
Ma dame plaisant et gaie.
My pleasant and gay lady.
Et quant mes jours fineray,
And when my days end,
Sans delay
At once,
Mon cuer, que s’amour deplaie,
My heart, wounded by her love,
Li lairay.
I’ll bequeath to her.