The great pain that I bear
is so harsh and so very strong
that there is nothing that could
comfort me or bring me happiness,
so I would like to be dead.
Since I am losing my loves,
my friend, my hope,
who is going away, in a few days,
out of the kingdom of France
to stay, alas! he takes with him
my heart which is disconsolate;
well might it be disconsolate
since I cannot counsel joy to myself
being deprived by
the great pain that I bear.
If I never have help
for this illness that exhausts
my tired heart, drowning in tears
because his leaving is so hard
who is opening the door
of my death and who exhorts me to
despair, who comes to bring me
mourning and to carry off
my joy, and mourning brings me
the great pain that I bear.
--Christine de Pisan (1363-1431)
La grant doulour que je porte
est si aspre et si tres forte
qu'il n'est riens qui conforter
me peüst ne aporter
joye, ains vouldroie estre morte.
Puis que je pers mes amours,
mon ami, mon esperance
qui s'en va, dedens briefs jours,
hors du royaume de France
demourer, lasse ! il emporte
mon cuer qui se desconforte ;
bien se doit desconforter,
car jamais joye enorter
ne me peut, dont se deporte
la grant doulour que je porte.
Si n'aray jamais secours
du mal qui met a oultrance
mon las cuer, qui noye en plours
pour la dure departance
de cil qui euvre la porte
de ma mort et que m'enorte
desespoir, qui raporter
me vient dueil et emporter
ma joye, et dueil me raporte
la grant doulour que je porte.
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