Longuement me sui tenus

Longuement me sui tenus

For a long time I've refrained

De faire lais,

From composing lays,

Car d'amours estoie nus,

Being empty of love,

Mais des or mais

But from now on

Ferai chans et virelais.

I'll write songs and virelais.

G'i sui tenus,

This I've resolved,

Qu'en amours me sui rendus

Having surrendered to Love

A tous jours mais.

For ever more.

Se un petit ay esté mus,

If I've been somewhat quiet,

Je n'en puis mais,

I can no longer be,

Car pris sui et retenus,

Being captured and held,

Et au cuer trais

And shot through the heart

Tout en un lieu de.ij. trais

With two bolts right in one spot

D'uns yex fendus,

By a pair of eyes,

Vairs, poingnans, ses et agus,

Grey-green, piercing, charming, and striking,

Rians et gais.

Smiling and gay.

Car ma dame, que Diex gart,

For my lady — may God save her! —

Par un dous riant regart

Through her sweet smiling look

D'Ardant Desir fist un dart

Made one dart of burning Desire

Et un d'Esperence.

And one of Hope.

Mais mort m'eüst, sans doubtance,

But Desire, and there is no doubt,

Desirs et sans deffiance

Would have killed me with no warning

S'Espoirs ou j'ay ma fiance

Had not Hope, in whom my trust is placed,

Ne fust de ma part.

Been on my side.

Car quant je senti l'espart

For when I felt the glow

Dou regart qui mon cuer art,

Of the look that burns my heart,

Ne perdi, a tiers n'a quart,

I lost not just a third or fourth

Scens et contenance,

Of my wit and composure,

Mais tout maniere et puissance.

But all demeanour and power.

Lors me fist penre plaisence

Then Hope made me take pleasure

En ma jolie souffrance

In my sweet suffering

Espoirs par son art.

Through her skill.

Mais ce durement m'esmaie,

But I am so completely dismayed,

Que ne say

Because I don't know

Se ceste amoureuse plaie

If this lover's wound

Qu'au cuer ay

That's in my heart

Vient d'Smours ou de cuer vray.

Comes from Love or a heart that's true.

Car Dous Regars maint cuer plaie

For Sweet Look wounds many a heart

Qu'ailleurs dame amy a gay.

When the lady has some other lover who pleases.

S'en morray

And I'll die

S'einsi m'est; mais d'amour vraie

Should this be so; but with a true love

L'ameray.

I will love her.

Ne voloir que m'en retraie

I'll never have the will

Ja n'aray

To draw back

Pour doleur que mes cuers traie.

Because of the pain that tries my heart.

Eins seray

Rather I'll remain

Vrais et de cuer serviray

True, serving from the heart

Ma dame plaisant et gaie.

My pleasant and gay lady.

Et quant mes jours fineray,

And when my days end,

Sans delay

At once,

Mon cuer, que s'amour deplaie,

My heart, wounded by her love,

Li lairay.

I'll bequeath to her.

Se un petit ay esté mus,

If I've been somewhat quiet,

Je n'en puis mais,

I can no longer be,

Car pris sui et retenus,

Being captured and held,

Et au cuer trais

And shot through the heart

Tout en un lieu de.ij. trais

With two bolts right in one spot

D'uns yex fendus,

By a pair of eyes,

Vairs, poingnans, ses et agus,

Grey-green, piercing, charming, and striking,

Rians et gais.

Smiling and gay.

Car ma dame, que Diex gart,

For my lady — may God save her! —

Par un dous riant regart

Through her sweet smiling look

D'Ardant Desir fist un dart

Made one dart of burning Desire

Et un d'Esperence.

And one of Hope.

Mais mort m'eüst, sans doubtance,

But Desire, and there is no doubt,

Desirs et sans deffiance

Would have killed me with no warning

S'Espoirs ou j'ay ma fiance

Had not Hope, in whom my trust is placed,

Ne fust de ma part.

Been on my side.

Car quant je senti l'espart

For when I felt the glow

Dou regart qui mon cuer art,

Of the look that burns my heart,

Ne perdi, a tiers n'a quart,

I lost not just a third or fourth

Scens et contenance,

Of my wit and composure,

Mais tout maniere et puissance.

But all demeanour and power.

Lors me fist penre plaisence

Then Hope made me take pleasure

En ma jolie souffrance

In my sweet suffering

Espoirs par son art.

Through her skill.

Mais ce durement m'esmaie,

But I am so completely dismayed,

Que ne say

Because I don't know

Se ceste amoureuse plaie

If this lover's wound

Qu'au cuer ay

That's in my heart

Vient d'Smours ou de cuer vray.

Comes from Love or a heart that's true.

Car Dous Regars maint cuer plaie

For Sweet Look wounds many a heart

Qu'ailleurs dame amy a gay.

When the lady has some other lover who pleases.

S'en morray

And I'll die

S'einsi m'est; mais d'amour vraie

Should this be so; but with a true love

L'ameray.

I will love her.

Ne voloir que m'en retraie

I'll never have the will

Ja n'aray

To draw back

Pour doleur que mes cuers traie.

Because of the pain that tries my heart.

Eins seray

Rather I'll remain

Vrais et de cuer serviray

True, serving from the heart

Ma dame plaisant et gaie.

My pleasant and gay lady.

Et quant mes jours fineray,

And when my days end,

Sans delay

At once,

Mon cuer, que s'amour deplaie,

My heart, wounded by her love,

Li lairay.

I'll bequeath to her.

Car ma dame, que Diex gart,

For my lady — may God save her! —

Par un dous riant regart

Through her sweet smiling look

D'Ardant Desir fist un dart

Made one dart of burning Desire

Et un d'Esperence.

And one of Hope.

Mais mort m'eüst, sans doubtance,

But Desire, and there is no doubt,

Desirs et sans deffiance

Would have killed me with no warning

S'Espoirs ou j'ay ma fiance

Had not Hope, in whom my trust is placed,

Ne fust de ma part.

Been on my side.

Car quant je senti l'espart

For when I felt the glow

Dou regart qui mon cuer art,

Of the look that burns my heart,

Ne perdi, a tiers n'a quart,

I lost not just a third or fourth

Scens et contenance,

Of my wit and composure,

Mais tout maniere et puissance.

But all demeanour and power.

Lors me fist penre plaisence

Then Hope made me take pleasure

En ma jolie souffrance

In my sweet suffering

Espoirs par son art.

Through her skill.

Mais ce durement m'esmaie,

But I am so completely dismayed,

Que ne say

Because I don't know

Se ceste amoureuse plaie

If this lover's wound

Qu'au cuer ay

That's in my heart

Vient d'Smours ou de cuer vray.

Comes from Love or a heart that's true.

Car Dous Regars maint cuer plaie

For Sweet Look wounds many a heart

Qu'ailleurs dame amy a gay.

When the lady has some other lover who pleases.

S'en morray

And I'll die

S'einsi m'est; mais d'amour vraie

Should this be so; but with a true love

L'ameray.

I will love her.

Ne voloir que m'en retraie

I'll never have the will

Ja n'aray

To draw back

Pour doleur que mes cuers traie.

Because of the pain that tries my heart.

Eins seray

Rather I'll remain

Vrais et de cuer serviray

True, serving from the heart

Ma dame plaisant et gaie.

My pleasant and gay lady.

Et quant mes jours fineray,

And when my days end,

Sans delay

At once,

Mon cuer, que s'amour deplaie,

My heart, wounded by her love,

Li lairay.

I'll bequeath to her.

Car quant je senti l'espart

For when I felt the glow

Dou regart qui mon cuer art,

Of the look that burns my heart,

Ne perdi, a tiers n'a quart,

I lost not just a third or fourth

Scens et contenance,

Of my wit and composure,

Mais tout maniere et puissance.

But all demeanour and power.

Lors me fist penre plaisence

Then Hope made me take pleasure

En ma jolie souffrance

In my sweet suffering

Espoirs par son art.

Through her skill.

Mais ce durement m'esmaie,

But I am so completely dismayed,

Que ne say

Because I don't know

Se ceste amoureuse plaie

If this lover's wound

Qu'au cuer ay

That's in my heart

Vient d'Smours ou de cuer vray.

Comes from Love or a heart that's true.

Car Dous Regars maint cuer plaie

For Sweet Look wounds many a heart

Qu'ailleurs dame amy a gay.

When the lady has some other lover who pleases.

S'en morray

And I'll die

S'einsi m'est; mais d'amour vraie

Should this be so; but with a true love

L'ameray.

I will love her.

Ne voloir que m'en retraie

I'll never have the will

Ja n'aray

To draw back

Pour doleur que mes cuers traie.

Because of the pain that tries my heart.

Eins seray

Rather I'll remain

Vrais et de cuer serviray

True, serving from the heart

Ma dame plaisant et gaie.

My pleasant and gay lady.

Et quant mes jours fineray,

And when my days end,

Sans delay

At once,

Mon cuer, que s'amour deplaie,

My heart, wounded by her love,

Li lairay.

I'll bequeath to her.

Mais ce durement m'esmaie,

But I am so completely dismayed,

Que ne say

Because I don't know

Se ceste amoureuse plaie

If this lover's wound

Qu'au cuer ay

That's in my heart

Vient d'Smours ou de cuer vray.

Comes from Love or a heart that's true.

Car Dous Regars maint cuer plaie

For Sweet Look wounds many a heart

Qu'ailleurs dame amy a gay.

When the lady has some other lover who pleases.

S'en morray

And I'll die

S'einsi m'est; mais d'amour vraie

Should this be so; but with a true love

L'ameray.

I will love her.

Ne voloir que m'en retraie

I'll never have the will

Ja n'aray

To draw back

Pour doleur que mes cuers traie.

Because of the pain that tries my heart.

Eins seray

Rather I'll remain

Vrais et de cuer serviray

True, serving from the heart

Ma dame plaisant et gaie.

My pleasant and gay lady.

Et quant mes jours fineray,

And when my days end,

Sans delay

At once,

Mon cuer, que s'amour deplaie,

My heart, wounded by her love,

Li lairay.

I'll bequeath to her.

Ne voloir que m'en retraie

I'll never have the will

Ja n'aray

To draw back

Pour doleur que mes cuers traie.

Because of the pain that tries my heart.

Eins seray

Rather I'll remain

Vrais et de cuer serviray

True, serving from the heart

Ma dame plaisant et gaie.

My pleasant and gay lady.

Et quant mes jours fineray,

And when my days end,

Sans delay

At once,

Mon cuer, que s'amour deplaie,

My heart, wounded by her love,

Li lairay.

I'll bequeath to her.