I.
Le creatour de toute creature,
Qui l’alme d’omme ad fait a son ymage
Par quoi le corps de reson et nature
Soit attempré par jouste governage,
Il done a l’alme assetz plus d’avantage
Car il l’ad fait discrete et resonable.
Dont sur le corps raison ert conestable.
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I.
The creator of all creation,
Who made man's soul in his own image,
So that the body, through reason and nature,
Would be justly ruled,
To the soul gave supreme command
For he made it prudent and reasonable.
Thus the great knight of reason will rule the body.
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En Dieu amer celle alme ad sa droiture,
Tant soulement pour fermer le corage
En tiel amour u nulle mesprisure
De foldelit la poet mettre en servage
Du frele char, q’est toutdis en passage.
Mais la bone alme est seinte et parmanable.
Dont sur le corps raison ert conestable.
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From God's love the soul derives its rightful
power
To strengthen the heart's resolve
And stop it falling prey
To the wantonness of frail flesh,
Which journeys ever on to Death.
But this good soul is holy and everlasting.
Thus the great knight of reason will rule the body.
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En l’alme gist et raison et mesure,
Dont elle avera le ciel en heritage.
Li corps, selonc la char, pour engendrure
Avera la bone espouse en mariage,
Qui sont tout une chose et un estage
Qe l’un a l’autre soient entendable.
Dont sur le corps raison ert conestable.
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Within the soul both reason and temperance
lie together,
And the soul will have heaven as its reward.
The fleshly body to procreate
Will take a good spouse in marriage.
They should be both one and of one degree,
Compatible, the one with the other.
Thus the great knight of reason will rule the body.
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II.
De l’espirit l’amour quiert continence
Et vivre chaste en soul Dieu contemplant.
Li corps, par naturele experience,
Quiert femme avoir dont soit multipliant.
Des bones almes l’un fait le ciel preignant
Et l’autre emplist la terre de labour.
Si l’un est bon, l’autre est assetz meilour.
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II.
Spiritual love seeks continence
And, living chastely, contemplates God alone.
The body, by its very nature,
Seeks a wife and multiplies.
The one impregnates heaven with virtuous souls;
The other fills the earth with its toil.
If one is good, the other is much better.
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A l’espirit qui fait la providence
Ne poet failir de reguerdon suiant.
Plus est en l’alme celle intelligence -
Dont sanz null fin l’omme en serra vivant -
Qe n’est le corps en ses fils engendrant.
Et nepourqant tout fist le creatour.
Si l’un est bon, l’autre est assetz meilour.
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For the spirit that sees afar
There cannot but be a consequent reward.
This understanding is greater in the soul
- and through it man will live eternally -
Than the body finds in the generation of its sons.
Nevertheless, the creator made all things.
If one is good, the other is much better.
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A l’espirit Dieus dona conscience
Par quelle om ert du bien et mal sachant.
Le corps doit pas avoir la reverence,
Ainz ert a l’alme et humble et obeissant.
Mais Dieus, qui les natures vait creant,
Et l’un et l’autre ad mis en son atour.
Si l’un est bon, l’autre est assetz meilour.
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To the spirit God gave a conscience
By which man might know of good and evil.
It is not the body we should revere,
Which must be humble and obedient to the soul.
But God, who created them both,
Chose each one for his company.
If one is good, the other is much better.
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III.
Au plusparfit Dieus ne nous obligea,
Mais il voet bien qe nous soions parfitz.
Cist homme a Dieu sa chasteté dona
Et cist en Dieu voet estre bons maritz
Sil quiert avoir espouse a son avis.
Il plest a Dieu de faire honeste issue,
Selonc la loi de seinte eglise due.
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III.
God has not forced us to be perfect,
But perfect is what he wishes us to be.
One man gives his chastity to God,
While with God's blessing another chooses marriage
And seeks a spouse to his liking.
He pleases God by creating his own lineage,
According to the proper law of holy church.
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Primerement qant mesmes Dieus crea
Adam et Eve en son saint paradis,
L’omme ove la femme ensemble maria,
Dont ait la terre en lour semense emplis.
Lors fuist au point celle espousaile empris
Du viele loi, et puis, quant fuist venue,
Selonc la loi de seinte esglise due.
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At first when God created
Adam and Eve in his holy paradise,
He joined man and woman together in married bond,
So that he might fill the earth with his kind.
Then this marriage act, which was fittingly begun
Under the old law, continued when the new law came,
According to the proper law of holy church.
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Et puisque Dieus, qui la loi ordina,
En une char ad deux persones mis.
Droitz est qe l’omme et femme pourcela
Tout un soul coer eiont par tiel devis:
Loiale amie avoec loials amis.
C’est en amour trop belle retenue,
Selonc la loi de seinte esglise due.
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And then God, who ordained the law,
Placed two persons in one flesh.
Therefore, it is fitting that man and woman both
Should become one heart according to the same design,
Loyally loving a loyal lover.
This is love's most perfect bond.
According to the proper law of holy church.
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IV.
Ovesque amour qant loialté s’aqueinte,
Lors sont les noeces bones et joiouses.
Mais lui guiliers, qant il se fait plus queinte,
Par falssemblant les fait sovent doubtouses,
A l’oill qant plus resemblont amourouses.
C’est ensi com de stouppes une corde
Qant le penser a son semblant descorde.
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IV.
When faithfulness acquaints itself with love,
Then joyous is the wedding feast.
But the deceiver, when he knowingly deceives,
Often undermines such nuptials with false-seeming,
When to the eye it seems a loving match.
Thus such a marriage chafes like a hempen rope,
When appearances belie the thoughts within.
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Celle espousaile est assetz forte et seinte
D’amour u sont les causes vertuouses.
Si l’espousaile est d’avarice enceinte
Et qe les causes soient tricherouses,
Ja ne serront les noeces graciouses,
Car conscience toutdis se remorde
Qant le penser a son semblant descorde.
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A marriage is a holy bond
Where virtue guides the path of love.
But a marriage that is great with venal sin
And treacherous in its foundations,
The union will not be blessed,
For conscience will always be in torment,
When appearances belie the thoughts within.
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Honest amour q’ove loialté s’aqueinte
Fait qe les noeces serront gloriouses.
Et qui son coer ad mis par tiele empeinte
N’estoet doubter les changes perilouses.
Om dist qe noeces sont aventurouses,
Car la fortune en tiel lieu ne s’acorde
Qant le penser a son semblant descorde.
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True love that is aligned with loyalty
Makes for a wondrous and happy marriage.
And he who has set his heart accordingly
Should not fear the changes of fortune.
They say that marriage is full of chance,
For fortune is not constant in such a union,
When appearances belie the thoughts within.
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V.
Grant mervaile est et trop countre reson
Q’om doit de propre chois sa femme eslire
Et puis confermer celle eleccion
Par espousaile, et puis aprés desdire
Sa foi qant il de jour en jour desire
Nouell amour, assetz plus qe la beste.
Sa foi mentir n’est pas a l’omme honeste.
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V.
It is quite surprising and much against reason
That a man, having chosen his wife himself
And then confirming this choice
In marriage, should later break
His vow when day by day he seeks
A new love, no better than a beast.
An honest man does not make false his vow.
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De l’espousailes la profession
Valt plus d’assetz qe jeo ne puiss descrire.
Soubtz cell habit prist incarnacion
De la virgine cil q’est nostre Sire.
Par quoi des toutes partz qui bien remire
En l’ordre de si tresseintisme geste,
Sa foi mentir n’est pas a l’omme honeste.
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The professing of the marriage vow
Is worthier than I can say.
Within these bounds, he who is our Lord
Took human form from the virgin.
Observing life from every point
And reflecting on such a holy deed,
An honest man does not make false his vow.
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De l’espousailes celle beneicion
Le sacrement de seinte eglise enspire.
C’est un lieus sanz dissolucion
Q’om doit garder, car quique voldra lisre
Le temps passé, il avera cause a dire,
Pour doubte de vengeance et de moleste,
Sa foi mentir n’est pas a l’omme honeste.
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The sacrament of holy church inspires
The blessing that marriage brings.
It is an unbreakable bond
Which man must keep, for whoever reads
History will have cause to say that,
For fear of wrong and retribution,
An honest man does not make false his vow.
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VI.
Nectanabus, qui vint en Macedoine
D’Egipte u qu’il devant ot rois esté,
Olimpeas, encontre matrimoine,
L’espouse au roi Pilipp ad violé,
Dont Alisandre estoit lors engendré.
Mais quoique soit du primere envoisure,
Le fin demoustre toute l’aventure.
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VI.
Nectanabus came to Macedon
From Egypt where he had been king.
There he violated Olimpias, King Philip's wife,
Much against her marriage vow.
Thus Alexander was then conceived.
But although it was to Nectanabus' delight,
In the end the peril was revealed.
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Cil q’est de pecché pres sa grace eloigne.
Ceo parust bien car tiele destinee
Avint depuis qe, sanz nulle autre essoine,
Le fils occist le piere tout de gree.
Ore esgardetz coment fuist revengé
D’avolterie celle forsfaiture.
Le fin demoustre toute l’aventure.
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He who is close to sin is far from grace.
That was quite clear, for a terrible fate
Later came about, since the wilful son
Killed his father without cause.
Now see how the transgression
Of adultery was avenged.
In the end the peril was revealed.
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Rois Uluxes pur plaire a sa caroigne
Falsoit sa foi devers Penolopé.
Avoec Circes fist mesme la busoigne
Du quoi son fils Thelogonus fuist nee
Q’ad puis son propre piere auci tué.
Q’il nest plesant a Dieu tiele engendrure.
Le fin demoustre toute l’aventure.
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King Ulysses broke his vow to Penelope
In order to give pleasure to his flesh.
He lay with Circe from whose embrace
His son Thelagonus was born,
Who later slew his own father.
Such coupling is not pleasing to God.
In the end the peril was revealed.
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VII.
El grant desert d’Ynde superiour,
Cil qui darein les deux pilers fichoit,
Danz Hercules prist femme a son honour
Qe file au roi de Caledoine estoit.
Contre Achelons en armes conquestoit
La belle Deianire par bataille.
C’est grant peril de freindre l’espousaile.
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VII.
El grant desert d’Ynde superiour,
Cil qui darein les deux pilers fichoit,
Danz Hercules prist femme a son honour
Qe file au roi de Caledoine estoit.
Contre Achelons en armes conquestoit
La belle Deianire par bataille.
C’est grant peril de freindre l’espousaile.
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Bien tost aprés tout changea cell’
amour
Pour Eolen, dont il s’espouse haoit.
Celle Eolen fuist file a l’emperour
D’Eurice et Herculem tant assotoit
Q’elle ot de lui tout ceo q’avoir voloit.
N’ert pas le fin semblable au comensaile.
C’est grant peril de freindre l’espousaile.
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Soon after all this he fell in love
With Iole, and then turned against the one he had wed.
This Iole, daughter of the emperor
Of Eurice, made such a fool of Hercules
That he gave her all she wanted.
The end was not like the beginning.
Beware the breaking of the marriage vow.
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Unques ne fuist ne ja serra null jour
Qe tiel pecché de Dieu vengé ne soit,
Car Hercules, ensi com dist l’auctour,
D’une chemise dont il se vestoit
Fuist tant deceu qu’il soi mesmes ardoit.
De son mesfait porta contretaile.
C’est grant peril de freindre l’espousaile.
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There never was a day, nor will there be,
That God will not avenge such a sin,
For Hercules, as it is written,
Was so deceived by a shirt he wore
That he was burned to death.
And thus he paid the price of his misdeed.
Beware the breaking of the marriage vow.
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VIII.
Li prus Jason, q’en l’isle de Colchos
Le toison d’or par l’aide de Medee
Conquist, dont il d’onour portoit grant los;
Par tout le monde en court la renomee.
La joefne dame ove soi ad amenee
De son paiis en Grece et l’espousa.
Freinte espousaile Dieus le vengera. |
VIII.
Brave Jason on the isle of Colchos
Won the golden fleece with Medea's help,
A deed which brought him praise and honour
And spread his fame through all the world.
He took the young Medea
From her Grecian home and married her.
God will avenge the broken marriage vow.
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Qant Medea meulx quide estre en repos
Ove son mari et q’elle avoit porté
Deux fils de lui, lors changea le purpos
El quell Jason primer fuist obligé.
Il ad del tout Medeam refusé,
Si prist la file au Roi Creon Creusa.
Freinte espousaile Dieux le vengera.
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Now Medea well expected a tranquil life
With her husband and had borne him
Two sons; but Jason broke that vow
By which he was first bound.
He completely abandoned Medea
And took Creusa, the daughter of King Creon.
God will avenge the broken marriage vow.
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Medea, q’ot le coer de dolour clos,
En son corous - et ceo fuist grant pité -
Ses joefnes fils quex ot jodis enclos
Deinz ses costees ensi come forsenee
Devant les oels Jason ele ad tué.
Ceo q’en fuist fait pecché le fortuna.
Freinte espousaile Dieus le vengera.
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Medea in her anger hardened her great heart
Against her pain with tragic outcome
For those young sons whom she had once borne
Within her womb; in mad fury
She killed them before Jason's very eyes.
This sinner's deed was his misfortune.
God will avenge the broken marriage vow.
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IX.
Cil avoltiers qui fait continuance
En ses pecchés et toutdis se delite
Poi crient de Dieu et l’ire et la vengeance.
Du quoi jeo trieus une Cronique escrite
Pour essampler et, si jeo le recite,
L’en poet noter par se qu’il signifie:
Horribles sont les mals d’avolterie.
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IX.
The adulterer who ceaselessly continues
In his sins and thinks only of his pleasure
Little fears God's anger or his retribution.
On this subject I have found a Chronicle
Giving examples, and if I recite it,
One may note what it affirms:
Horrible are the evils of adultery.
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Agamenon, q’ot soubtz sa gouernance
De les Gregois toute la flour eslite,
A Troi qant plus fuist en sa puissance
S’espouse, quelle estoit Climestre dite,
Egistus l’ot de fol amour soubgite,
Dont puis avint meinte grant felonie.
Horribles sont les mals d’avolterie.
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Agamemnon, who under his sway ruled
The elite of Greek society,
While at Troy at the height of his power
Married a woman called Clytemnestra.
Egistus subdued her with a wanton love
That led to many a great crime.
Horrible are the evils of adultery.
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Agamenon de mort suffrist penance
Par treson qe sa femme avoit confite,
Dont elle aprés morust sanz repentance.
Son propre fils Horestes l’ad despite,
Dont de sa main receust la mort subite.
Egiste as fourches puis rendist sa vie.
Horribles son les mals d’avolterie.
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Agamemnon suffered the penance of death
For the treason committed by his wife,
And she later died unrepentant.
Orestes, her own son, hated her,
And she met sudden death by his hand.
Egistus repaid his own crime with the gallows.
Horrible are the evils of adultery.
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X.
La tresplus belle q’unqes fuist humeine,
L’espouse a roi de Grece Menelai,
C’estoit la fole peccheresse Heleine
Pour qui Paris primer se faisoit gai,
Mais puis tornoit toute sa joie en wai
Qant Troie fuist destruite et mis en cendre.
Si haut pecché covient en bass descendre.
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X.
The most beautiful creature there ever was,
The wife of Meneleus, king of Greece,
Was the wanton sinner Helen.
On her account Paris was first made happy,
But then all his joy was turned to woe
When Troy was destroyed and burned to ashes.
How fitting that great sin be brought low.
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Tarquins, auci q’ot la pensee vileine,
Q’avoit pourgeu Lucrece a son essai,
Sanz null retour d’exil receust la peine.
Et la dolente estoit en tiel esmai
Qe d’un cotell s’occist sanz null deslai.
Ce fuist pité, mais l’en doit bien entendre.
Si haut pecché covient en bass descendre.
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Tarquin also, in his villainy,
Lay with Lucrece at his will,
And she in pain withdrew to mourn.
The grieving woman suffered so
That she quickly took her life with a sword.
Of this tragic end we must take heed;
How fitting that great sin be brought low.
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Mundus fuist prince de la Court Romeine
Qui deinz le temple Ysis el mois de maii
Pourgeust Pauline, espouse et citezeine.
Deux prestres enbastiront tout le plai.
Bani fuist Munde en juggement verai,
Ysis destruit, li prestres vont au pendre.
Si haut pecché covient en bass descendre.
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Mundus was prince of the Roman court,
Who in Isis' temple in the month of May
Lay with Pauline, wife and citizen of Rome.
Two priests contrived the whole affair.
By rightful judgement Mundus was banished,
Isis' temple destroyed, and the priests were hanged.
How fitting that great sin be brought low.
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XI.
Albins, q’estoit un prince bataillous
Et fuist le primer roi de Lombardie,
Occist com cil qui fuist victorious
Le Roi Gurmond par sa chivalerie.
Si espousa sa file et tint cherie
La quelle ot non la belle Rosemonde.
Cil qui mal fait, falt qu’il au mal responde.
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XI.
Albinus, who was a warrior prince
And the first king of Lombardy,
Slew King Gormond with knightly skill,
As if to prove his victory.
He wed the beautiful Rosemond,
Daughter of the king, and cherished her.
He who does evil must answer for it.
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Tiel espousaile ja n’ert gracious
U Dieus les noeces point ne seintefie.
La dam, q’estoit pleine de corous
A cause de son piere, n’ama mie
Son droit mari ainz; est ailours amie.
Elmeges la pourgeust et fist inmonde.
Cil qui mal fait, falt qu’il au mal responde.
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A marriage never sanctified by God
Cannot enjoy his grace and blessing.
The lady, greatly angered
By her father's death, did not love
Her lawful husband, but turned her love elsewhere.
Elmeges defiled her in his lustful embrace.
He who does evil must answer for it.
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Du pecché naist le fin malicious:
Par grief poison Albins perdist la vie.
Elmeges ove sa dame lecherous
Estoiont arsz pour lour grant felonie.
Le duc qu’ot lors Ravenne en sa baillie
En son paleis lour juggement exponde.
Cil qui mal fait, falt qu’il au mal responde.
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From sin is born the evil end.
Through strong poison Albinus met his death.
Elmeges and the king's lecherous wife
Were burned for their great crime.
The duke who then controlled Ravenna
Passed judgement on them in his palace.
He who does evil must answer for it.
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XII.
Le noble roi d’Athenes, Pandeon,
Deux files ot de son corps engendré
Qe Progné et Philomene avoiont noun.
A Tereus fuist Progné mariee,
Cil fuist de Trace roi, mais la bealté
De l’autre soer lui fist sa foi falser.
Malvois amant reprent malvois loer.
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XII.
The noble king of Athens, Pandeon,
Had two daughters fathered of his flesh.
They bore the names of Progne and Philomena.
Progne was married to Tereus,
King of Thrace; but the beauty
Of the other sister made him break his vow.
A wicked lover receives a vile reward.
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De foldelit contraire a sa resoun
Cil Tereus, par treson purpensee,
De Philomene en sa proteccion
Ravist la flour de sa virginité
Contre sa foi qu’il avoit espousee
Progné sa soer, qui puis se fist venger.
Malvois amant reprent malvois loer.
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In a wantonness contrary to his reason
This Tereus by a treasonous plan
Held Philomena in his protection.
He ravished the flower of her virginity,
Against the vow by which he wed
Her sister, Progne, who then wrought vengeance.
A wicked lover receives a vile reward.
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Trop fuist cruele celle vengeisoun:
Un joefne fils qu’il ot de Progné né
La miere occist et en decoccioun
Tant fist qe Tereus l’ad devoree,
Dont Dieus lui ad en hupe transformé
En signe qu’il fuist fals et avoltier.
Malvois amant reprent malvois loer.
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And awful was the vengeance that she wrought.
Progne killed the son whom she had borne
And from his remains prepared a broth.
This stew she gave to Tereus to devour.
God transformed Tereus into a crested bird
As sign of his deceit and adultery.
A wicked lover receives a vile reward.
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XIII.
Seint Abraham, chief de la viele loi,
De Canaan pour fuïr la famine
Mena Sarrai la femme ovesque soi
Tanq’en Egipte u doubta la covine
De Pharao, qui prist a concubine
Sarrai s’espouse et en fist son voloir.
En halt estat falt temprer le pooir.
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XIII.
Holy Abraham, father of the old law,
In order to flee the famine of Chanaan
Led his wife, Sarah, with him
Into Egypt; there he feared the lust
Of the Pharaoh, who took Abraham's wife, Sarah,
As a concubine and used her at his will.
Power must be tempered in those of high estate.
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Cist Abraham, qui molt doubta le Roi,
N’osa desdire, ainz suffrist la ravine
Pour pes avoir et se tenoit tout coi,
Dont il fuist bien, du roi mais la falsine
De son pecché par tiele discipline
Dieus chastioit dont il poait veoir.
En halt estat falt temprer le pooir.
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Abraham, who greatly feared the king,
Dared not protest and rather suffered
His wife's rape for sake of peace and remained silent.
Thus he did well, but God punished
The deceit of the sinful king
With a harshness that was clear.
Power must be tempered in those of high estate.
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Soubdeinement, ainz qe l’en scieust pour quoi,
Par toute Egipte espandist la morine,
Dont Pharao, q’estoit en grant effroi,
Rendist l’espouse et ceo fuist medicine.
A tiel pecché celle alme q’est encline
Pour son delit covient au fin doloir.
En halt estat falt temprer le pooir.
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Suddenly, before one knew why,
A plague was scattered throughout Egypt.
So the Pharoah, greatly frightened,
Sent back the wife and remedied the plague.
It was right that a soul inclined to such sin
Should suffer in the end for its crime.
Power must be tempered in those of high estate.
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XIV.
Trop est humaine char frele et vileine;
Sanz grace nulls se poet contretenir.
Ceo parust bien, sicom la Bible enseine,
Qant Roi Dauid Urie fist moertrir
Pour Bersabee dont il ot son plesir.
Espouse estoit, mais n’en avoit guarde.
N’ert pas segur de soi qui Dieus ne guarde.
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XIV.
Human flesh is too frail and vile;
No one can resist it without grace.
So it seemed as the Bible teaches
When King David had Uria murdered
For Bathsheba, with whom he had lain.
She was married, but he cared not.
Only God's protection keeps one safe.
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La bealté q’il veoit ensi lui meine
Qu’il n’ot poair de son corps abstenir,
Maisqu’il chaoit d’amour en celle peine
Dont chastes ne se poait contenir.
L’un mal causoit un autre mal venir,
L’avolterie a l’omicide esguarde.
N’ert pas segeur de soi qui Dieus ne guarde.
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So enticed was he by her beauty
That he could not hold back from her.
Thus he was felled by love's pain
And could not remain chaste.
His evil act brought forth more evil;
Adultery gave way to homicide.
Only God's protection keeps one safe.
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Mais cil qui Dieus de sa pité remeine,
Dauid se prist si fort a repentir
Q’unqes null homme en ceste vie humeine
Ne receust tant de pleindre et de ghemir.
Merci prioit, merci fuist son desir,
Merci troeuoit, merci son point ne tarde.
N’ert pas segeur de soi qui Dieus ne guarde.
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But David, to whom God refused his grace,
Came to repent his actions so dearly
That no man on earth
Has ever heard such wailing or such lament.
He prayed for mercy, for mercy was his desire;
Mercy he found, for mercy was he given.
Only God's protection keeps one safe.
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XV.
Comunes sont la Cronique et l’estoire
De Lancelot et Tristrans ensement.
Enqore maint lour sotie en memoire
Pour essampler les autres de present.
Cil q’est guarni et nulle garde prent,
Droitz est qu’il porte mesmes sa folie,
Car beal oisel par autre se chastie.
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XV.
Similar are the chronicle and story
Of Lancelot and Tristan too.
Their foolishness still remains in memory
As an example to others today.
He who is so warned and takes no heed
Rightfully should answer for his folly,
For a fine bird takes heed from others.
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Tout temps de l’an om truist d’amour la
foire
U que les coers Cupide done et vent.
Deux tonealx ad dont il les gentz fait boire:
L’un est assetz plus douls qe n’est pyement,
L’autre est amier plus que null arrement.
Parentre d’eus falt q’om se modefie,
Car beal oisel par autre se chastie.
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All year round Love's fair is held
Where Cupid sells and gives out hearts.
He has two barrels from which he makes men drink:
One is much sweeter than any spice,
The other more bitter than any vitriol.
Man must drink evenly from both,
For a fine bird takes heed from others.
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As uns est blanche, as uns fortune est noire.
Amour se torne trop diversement,
Ore est en joie, ore est en purgatorie,
Sanz point sanz reule et sanz governement.
Mais sur toutes autres il fait sagement
Q’en fol amour ne se delite mie,
Car beal oisel par autre se chastie.
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Fortune treats some men ill and others well.
Love turns around and around again,
Now in paradise, now in purgatory,
Without end, unruly and uncontrolled.
But above all Love acts wisely
And falls not into wanton love,
For a fine bird takes heed from others.
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XVI.
Om truist plusoures es vieles escriptures,
Prus et vailantz, q’ont d’armes le renoun.
Mais poi furont q’entre les envoisures
Guarderont chaste lour condicion:
Cil rois, qui Valentinians ot noun,
As les Romeins ceo dist en son avis.
Qui sa char veint sur toutz doit porter pris.
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XVI.
Man finds in past writings many figures,
Brave and valiant, renowned for deeds of arms;
But there are few who in the pleasures of their lives
Preserve their chaste condition.
The king called Valentine by name
So spoke his mind to the Romans.
He who overcomes the flesh above all will be esteemed.
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Qui d’armes veint les fieres aventures
Du siecle en doit avoir le reguerdoun;
Mais qui du char poet veintre les pointures
Le ciel avera trestout a sa baundoun.
Agardés ore la comparisoun:
Le quell valt plus, le monde ou paradis?
Qui sa char veint sur toutz doit porter pris.
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He who overcomes the savage perils of battle
Will in this life win brief reward;
But he who overcomes the stings of lust
Will hold all heaven in his power.
Now take heed of this comparison:
Which is worth more? The world or paradise?
He who overcomes the flesh above all will be esteemed.
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Amour les armes tient en ses droitures
Et est plus fort, car la profession
De vrai amour surmonte les natures
Et fait om vivre au loi de sa reson.
En mariage est la perfeccion.
Guardent lour foi cils q’ont celle ordre pris.
Qui sa char veint sur toutz doit porter pris.
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Love keeps in her control the arms of battle
And is the stronger, for the profession
Of true love surmounts man's warlike nature
And makes him live according to Love's command.
Love's perfection lies in marriage.
They who accept her rule preserve their faith.
He who overcomes the flesh above all will be esteemed.
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XVII
Amour est dit sanz partir d’un et une;
Ceo voet la foi plevie au destre main.
Mais qant li tierce d’amour se comune,
Non est amour ainz serra dit barguain.
Trop se descroist q’ensi quiert avoir guain,
Qui sa foi pert poi trove davantage.
A un est une assetz en mariage.
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XVII.
Love does not divide lover from beloved.
It asks of each a hand pledged in faith.
But when a third intrudes,
It is not love, but rather mere arrangement.
He is the lesser who seeks such gain
And finds his faith lost and of little worth.
One woman is enough for one man in marriage.
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N’est pas compaigns q’est comun a chascune.
Au soule amie ert un ami soulain.
Mais cil qui toutdis change sa fortune
Et ne voet estre en un soul lieu certain,
Om le poet bien resembler a Gawain,
Courtois d’amour, mais il fuist trop volage.
A un est une assetz en mariage.
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He is no true companion who is lover to every
maid.
For each beloved one lover shall there be.
But the man who always changes his affection
And cannot to one single place be bound,
One might compare him to the knightly Gawain,
Courteous in love but, alas, too fickle.
One woman is enough for one man in marriage.
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Semblables est au descroiscante lune
Cil q’au primer se moustre entier et plain,
Qant prent espouse, ou soit ceo blanche ou brune,
Et quiert eschange avoir a lendemain.
Mais qui q’ensi son temps deguaste en vain,
Doit bien sentir au fin de son passage:
A un est une assetz en mariage.
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A man is like the waning moon,
Seeming at first both whole and true
When he takes a wife, be she dark or fair,
And then on the morrow seeks to have a change.
He vainly wastes his time
And must well know at life's end that
One woman is enough for one man in marriage.
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XVIII.
En propreté cil qui de l’or habonde,
Molt fait grant tort s’il emble autri monoie.
Cil q’ad s’espouse propre deinz sa bonde,
Grant pecché fait c’il quiert ailours sa proie.
Tiels chante: “C’est ma sovereine joie!”,
Qui puis en ad dolour sanz departie.
N’est pas amant qui son amour mesguie.
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XVIII.
A man of property, abounding in gold,
Is guilty of a grave injustice if he steals another's wealth.
He who has a wife within the marriage bond
Is guilty of great sin if he seeks his prey elsewhere.
The man who sings, "This is my sovereign joy!"
Later has everlasting pain.
He is no lover who allows his love to stray.
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Des trois estaz benoitz c’est le seconde,
Q’au mariage en droit amour se ploie,
Et qui cel ordre en foldelit confonde,
Trop poet doubter s’il ne se reconvoie.
Pour ceo bon est qe chascun se purvoie
D’amer ensi q’il n’aid sa foi blemi.
N’est pas amant qui soun amour mesguie.
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Of the three blessed states marriage is the
second
And in its bonds submits to lawful love.
He who confounds this order with wanton love
Should greatly fear lest he lose his way.
How good it is that each man should ensure
That no blemish stain his vow of love.
He is no lover who allows his love to stray.
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Deinz son recoi la conscience exponde
A fol amant l’amour dont il foloie.
Si lui covient au fin qu’il en responde
Devant Celui qui les consals desploie.
O come li bons maritz son bien emploi,
Qant l’autre fol lerra sa fole amie.
N’est pas amant qui son amour mesguie.
[Envoi]
A l’université de tout le monde
Jehan Gower cest balade envoie
Et si jeo n’ai de Francois la faconde,
Pardonetz moi qe jeo de ceo forsvoie.
Jeo sui Englois, si quier par tiele voie
Estre excusé, mais quoique nulls en die,
L’amour parfit en Dieu se justifie.
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In privacy the conscience chides
The wanton lover for his foolish love.
So at the end he must answer to
The one who unfolds all truth to man.
The good husband enjoys the fruits of his goodness,
While the foolish lover is forsaken by his mistress.
He is no lover who allows his love to stray.
Envoi
To everyone throughout the world
John Gower sends this Balade.
And if I am less than eloquent in French,
Excuse me as I go astray.
I am English, and so I seek
To be excused, but whatever one may say,
Perfect love is justified in God.
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