poaleais

AISSI CUM SELH QU'ES VENCUTZ ...

JUST AS THE ONE WHO'S BEAT ...

Alegret

trans. James H. Donalson (from Provençal)

Aissi cum selh qu'es vencutz e sobratz

M'an en a far son deman
D'Amor que no'i apart pro ni dan
Ni ren... -atz

Voluntatz l'es que de len m'aucia,
E plaz me molt, pus aitan labelhis,
E qu'en perdos li sia francx et fis
E ja per lieys qu'ieu am amatz non sia.

Tot so m'es bo, Amors, pus a vos platz

Que m'auciatz deziran;
E si·us fora plus benestan
Qu'a lieys que·m defen sas bontatz

Vs tornessetz e major cortesia,
Quar no fai gran esfors, so vos plevis,
Qui so conquer qui vencut no conquis
Mas esforts fai qu·ils pus fortz vens e lia.

Ges no suy fortz ves lieys cuy me suy datz,

E si n'agra yeu ben talan,
Sivals que li fos fortz d'aitan
Que·l disses ben apensatz

Si cum yeu l'am finamen ses bauzia,
E cum li suy francx e leyals e fis;
E fora ricx s'aitan me cossentis
Lo ben qu·ie·l vuelh no·m tengues a follia.

De sol aitan mi tengr'ieu per pagatz

Qu·el vengues, mas jontas, denan
E·l mostres de ginolhs ploran
Cum suy si·eus endomenjatz.

Mas ardimen non ai que yeu loy dia
Ni l'esgart dreyt, ans tenc mos huelhs aclis,
Tal paor ai qu'ilh aitan no·m sufris
E que·m tolgues la su'avinen paria.

Per qu'ieu, dona, vuelh mais sufrir em patz

Lo mal qu'ieu trac e l'afan
Que d'aitra re vos deman
Don perdes vostre solatz.

Pauc n'ay de be e meyns cre que n'auria,
Qu'era·m fai tan de gaug un vostre ris
Que si·m davon Tors, Angieus e Paris,
Ni re ses vos tan de gaug no·m faria.

E
Bona dona, vostres sui on que·m sia,
Et on que m'an ades vos suy aclis,
E s'avia trastor lo mon conquis,
En tot volgra aguessez senhoria.

Just as the one who's beat and overcome

they come to make demands on me
for love without a gain or loss
and no ...

A will it is that's slowly killing me
and I am pleased that she's so greatly pleased
and that in pardon, she is frank and fine,
and by her whom I love no other's loved.

All this is good to me, Love, if you're pleased

because you kill me with desire
and if it were more suitable
that I defend her goodnesses,

you would return a greater courtesy:
I guarantee that I won't strain myself
to win what the defeated haven't won,
but I will try to beat and bind the strong.

I am not strong to her to whom I'm given,

and if I didn't have intent,
at least if she were strong enough,
to say that this is well thought out,

if, as I love her well, without deceit,
and as to her I'm loyal, frank and fine,
and I'd be rich if she would just grant me
not to hold foolish all I want from her.

By just so much, I'll hold myself as paid

if she comes to me with hands clasped
and gets upon her knees and weeps,
because I now belong to her.

I've no more ardor than what I give her,
nor direct look, as I keep my eyes shut,
I'm so afraid she won't put up with more
and that she'll take away her company.

So, Lady, I prefer to bear in peace

the ills I carry and the zeal
I ask you for no other thing
to take you from your leisure time.

I've little goods and think that I'd have less,
I get such joy from just a smile of yours,
if I had Paris and Angiers and Tours
none of them, without you, would give me joy.

E
Good lady, where I may be, I am yours,
and anywhere, I'll quickly bow to you,
and if I had upset a conquered world,
throughout, I'd want you to have seigniory.

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