QUI QU'AMORS DON SON VOLER ... HE WHO GIVES HIS WILL TO LOVE ...
Peire de Valeria trans. James H. Donalson (from Provençal)
Qui qu'Amors don son voler,
A mi tol benananza
E·m desloign'e·m lanza
A pauc del tot mon saber
Per ch'eu ai paor
Qu'en tal ai mes m'amistat
Qe m'a desviat
E no me socor;
E no·m recrei tan ni quan,
Auz suffr' e·m vauc aturan,
Qar cel consec qi aten.

Ja hom qis vol recrezar
No fara gran cobranza,
Segon m'esperanza,
Qar greu cobr'om gran poder
Ni granda ricor
Si granz trebaillz no·l en bat:
Per ch'eu ai durat
Lo maltrag d'amor,
E cug ades trebajlan
Conquistar e merceian
Celei que no m'o consen.
 He who gives his will to love
takes from me my peace of mind,
distancing and throwing me
nearly past what's known to me;
therefore I now greatly fear
I’ve put friendship in one such
who has kept me from my goal
and now won't help me a bit:
he won't let me off at all,
but I suffer stubbornly:
that will get us what awaits.

One who wants to be restored
won't have much to re-collect:
at least this is what I hope,
for one hardly gets great power
or great riches that empower,
without suffering from much work:
therefore I have put up with
the mistreatment Love gives out:
I will yet by labor win
and for mercy I will beg
her, who won't agree for me.
Trans. Copyright © James H. Donalson 2003 







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