Lyrics (Medieval French (Provençal))
Translation
Quan vey la lauzeta mover
When I see the lark beating
De joy sas alas contral rai,
Its wings for joy against the sun's rays,
Que s'oblida es laissa cazer
Until it forgets to fly and allows itself to fall
Per la doussor qual cor li vai:
For the sweetness that goes to its heart,
Ai! tan grans enveya m'en ve
Alas! such envy comes over me
De cui qu'eu veya jauzion!
Of those I see filled with happiness
Meravilh as I quar des se
I marvel that my heart
Lo cor de dezirier nom fon.
Does not melt from desire
Ai, las! Tan cuidava saber
Alas, how much I thought I knew about love
D'amor, e tan petit en sai,
And how little I really know.
Car eu d'mar nom posc tener
For I cannot keep myself from loving
Celeis don ja pro non aurai
Her from whom I will gain nothing.
Tout m'a mo cor, e tout m'a me
She has taken all my heart, my soul,
E se mezeis e tot lo mon,
Herself and all the world.
E can sem tolc nom laisset re
And when she left, she left me nothing
Mas dezirer e cor volon.
But desire and a longing heart.
Anc non agui de me poder
I have not had control over myself
Ni no fui meus de l'or en sai
Or belonged to myself from the hour
Quem laisset en sos olhs vezer
When she let me gaze into her eyes -
En un miralh que mout me plai.
In a mirror that pleases me so much.
Miralhs, pus me mirei en te,
Mirror, since I saw myself reflected in you
M'an mort li sospir de preon,
Deep sighs have been slaying me
C'aissim perdei com perdet se
I have lost myself just as
Lo bels Narcisus en la fon.
Handsome Narcisus did in the fountain.
De las domnas me dezesper,
I despair of women,
Jamais en lor nom fiarai,
I will trust them no more
C'aissi com las solh chaptener,
And just as I used to defend them
Enaissai las deschaptenrai.
Now I shall abandon them.
Pois vei c'una pro no m'en te
As I see none that helps me
Bas leis qu'em destrui em cofon,
Against her who destroys and confounds me
Totas las dopte las mescre,
I fear and distrust them all
Car be sai c'atretals se son.
For I know they are all alike.
D'aisso's fa be femna parer
In this my lady shows herself
Ma domna, per qu'elh o retrai
To be a woman and for this I condemn her.
(Car no vol so c'om voler,
(Because she does not want what she should,
E so c'om le deveda, fai.)
And desires that which is forbidden.)
