BALLADE DE PARIS | BALLADE DE PARIS | ||||||||||||
Eustache Deschamps | tr. James Kirkup | ||||||||||||
Quant j'ay la terre et mer avironnée, Et visité en chascune partie Jherusalem, Egipte et Galilée, Alixandre, Damas et la Surie, Babiloine, le Caire et Tartarie,
Les fins draps d'or et soye du pays, Valent trop mieulx ce que les François ont: Riens ne se puet comparer a Paris. C'est la cité sur toutes couronnée, Fonteine et puis de sens et de clergie, Sur le fleuve de Saine située: Vignes, bois a, terres et praerie. De touz les biens de ceste mortel vie
Car, pour deduit et pour estre jolis, Jamais cité tele ne trouveront: Riens ne se puet comparer a Paris. Mais elle est bien mieulx que ville fermée, Et de chasteaulx de grant anceserie, De gens d'onneur et de marchans peuplée, De touz ouvriers d'armes, d'orfaverie; De touz les ars c'est la flour, quoy qu'on die:
Verrez avoir aux habitans toudis, Et loyaulté aux euvres qu'ilz feront: Riens ne se puet comparer a Paris. |
When that I have the earth with all the seas made visit to it in its every part - Jerusalem, Egypt and Galilee, Babylon and Cairo and Tartary,
Each country's finest cloths of gold and silk, Better by far than any found in France: Nothing with Paris can ever be compared. She is the city honoured above all, Fountain and well of reason and of arts. Upon the River Seine well situate: With vineyards, woods, meadows and smiling plains, With all the gifts this mortai life can bring,
Love and shall love her charm and gaiety. For there was never city with such gifts: Nothing with Paris can ever be compared. For she is better far than all your wallèd towns With castles all of highest ancestry; Thronged with honourable men and merchants, Many craftsmen of arms and jewellery: Of all the arts she remains the flower -
You shall find always in her citizens, With pride in all the marvels they create: Nothing with Paris can ever be compared. |
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Trans. Copyright© James Kirkup 2002