CANTIGA DE AMIGO | BY HEAV'N ... |
Pero Gonçalvez de Portocarreiro | trans. James H. Donalson (from Galician) |
Par Deus, coitada vivo pois non ven meu amigo: pois non ven que farei? meus cabelos con sirgo eu non vos liarei . Pois non ven de Castela, non e viv', ai mesela, ou m'o deten el rei: mias toucas de Estela eu non vos tragerei. Pero m' eu leda semelho, non me sei dar conselho; amigas, que farei? en vos, ai meu espelho, eu non veerei. Estas doas mui belas, el m' as deu, ai donzelas, non vo-las negarei: mias cintas das fivelas eu non vos cingirei. |
By heav'n, I'm in distress because my friend's not back; if he won't come, what will I do? I won't be tying up my hair with silken ribbons. He's not back from Castile, therefore he must be dead or else the king is holding him! And I will not put on my ribbons from Estela. And if I still seem pleased, I can't make up my mind: friends, tell me now, what shall I do? I won't look at myself -. in you again, my mirror. These handsome gifts you see, he gave to me, my dears, I won't deny he gave me them, and I will not put on my ribbons with the buckles. |
Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2003