Originale | English Translation by Henry Adams
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JA NUS HONS PRIS | [NO PRISONER CAN TELL HIS HONEST THOUGHT] |
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I | I |
Ja nus hons pris ne dira sa raison | No prisoner can tell his honest thought |
Adroitement, se dolantement non; | Unless he speaks as one who suffers wrong; |
Mais par effort puet il faire chançon. | But for his comfort as he may make a song. |
Mout ai amis, mais povre sont li don; | My friends are many, but their gifts are naught. |
Honte i avront se por ma reançon | Shame will be theirs, if, for my ransom, here |
— Sui ça deus yvers pris. | —I lie another year. |
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II | II |
Ce sevent bien mi home et mi baron– | They know this well, my barons and my men, |
Ynglois, Normant, Poitevin et Gascon– | Normandy, England, Gascony, Poitou, |
Que je n'ai nul si povre compaignon | That I had never follower so low |
Que je lessaisse por avoir en prison; | Whom I would leave in prison to my gain. |
Je nou di mie por nule retraçon, | I say it not for a reproach to them, |
—Mais encor sui [je] pris. | —But prisoner I am! |
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III | III |
Or sai je bien de voir certeinnement | The ancient proverb now I know for sure; |
Que morz ne pris n'a ami ne parent, | Death and a prison know nor kind nor tie, |
Quant on me faut por or ne por argent. | Since for mere lack of gold they let me lie. |
Mout m'est de moi, mes plus m'est de ma gent, | Much for myself I grieve; for them still more. |
Qu'aprés ma mort avront reprochement | After my death they will have grievous wrong |
—Se longuement sui pris. | —If I am a prisoner long. |
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IV | IV |
N'est pas mervoille se j'ai le cuer dolant, | What marvel that my heart is sad and sore |
Quant mes sires met ma terre en torment. | When my own lord torments my helpless lands! |
S'il li membrast de nostre soirement | Well do I know that, if he held his hands, |
Quo nos feïsmes andui communement, | Remembering the common oath we swore, |
Je sai de voir que ja trop longuement | I should not here imprisoned with my song, |
—Ne seroie ça pris. | —Remain a prisoner long. |
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V | V |
Ce sevent bien Angevin et Torain– | They know this well who now are rich and strong |
Cil bacheler qui or sont riche et sain– | Young gentlemen of Anjou and Touraine, |
Qu'encombrez sui loing d'aus en autre main. | That far from them, on hostile bonds I strain. |
Forment m'amoient, mais or ne m'ainment grain. | They loved me much, but have not loved me long. |
De beles armes sont ore vuit li plain, | Their plans will see no more fair lists arrayed |
—Por ce que je sui pris | —While I lie here betrayed. |
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VI | VI |
Mes compaignons que j'amoie et que j'ain– | Companions whom I love, and still do love, |
Ces de Cahen et ces de Percherain– | Geoffroi du Perche and Ansel de Caieux, |
Di lor, chançon, qu'il ne sunt pas certain, | Tell them, my song, that they are friends untrue. |
C'onques vers aus ne oi faus cuer ne vain; | Never to them did I false-hearted prove; |
S'il me guerroient, il feront que vilain | But they do villainy if they war on me, |
—Tant con je serai pris. | —While I lie here, unfree. |
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VII | VII |
Contesse suer, vostre pris soverain | Countess sister! Your sovereign fame |
Vos saut et gart cil a cui je m'en clain | May he preserve whose help I claim, |
—Et por cui je sui pris. | —Victim for whom am I! |
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VIII | VIII |
Je ne di mie a cele de Chartain, | I say not this of Chartres' dame, |
—La mere Loës. | —Mother of Louis! |