Porque trobar é cousa en que jaz By: Alfonso X el Sabio, King of Castile and León

Editions

Singable Translation PDF By: Carol Anne Perry Lagemann (CC BY SA 4.0)

Info

Number of Voices: 1
Voicings: S , A , T , B
Date: 13th century
Language: Galician-Portuguese
Tags: translation cantiga Cantigas de Santa Maria religious Mary

Lyrics

Lyrics Direct Translation Poetic Translation
Este é o Prólogo das Cantigas de Santa María, ementando as cousas que á mestér eno trobar. This is the Prologue of the Songs of Holy Mary, concerning the things which are necessary in the art of composing songs.
Porque trobar é cousa en que jaz Because composing songs is an art which requires great Because composing songs is such an art,
entendimento, porên queno faz understanding, therefore, he who undertakes it Requiring understanding from the start,
á-o d' aver e de razôn assaz, must have this quality, and good judgment, The good composer must possess a heart
per que entenda e sábia dizer so that he may understand and be able to say Of sense and insight and a prudent mind,
o que entend' e de dizer lle praz, that which he undersatands and wishes to express, So he can understand and speak his part,
ca ben trobar assí s' á de fazer. for thus are good songs made. For songs that touch the soul are so designed.
E macar éu estas dúas non ei Although I do not possess these two qualities to the degree Such prudence and such insight are not mine
com' éu querría, pero provarei that I might wish, I shall nonetheless try As much as I would have by my design,
a mostrar ende un pouco que sei, to show the little that I know of the art, But still I try to elevate each line
confïand' en Déus, ond' o saber ven; trusting in God, from Whom wisdom comes, And show the little that is known to me;
ca per ele tenno que poderei for with His aid I believe I can And with the aid of Providence divine,
mostrar do que quéro alg?a ren. accomplish to some extent that which I seek. I may achieve my aim to some degree.
E o que quéro é dizer loor And that which I seek is to praise My aim is only to adore and praise
da Virgen, Madre de Nóstro Sennor, the Virgin, Mother of our Lord, The Virgin, Mother of the Lord we raise,
Santa María, que ést' a mellor holy Mary, the most wondrous O Holy Mary, worthy to amaze
cousa que el fez; e por aquest' éu of His creations. Therefore, I wish from this day forth Beyond all else created on this earth.
quéro seer oi mais séu trobador, to be Her troubadour, And thus, I wish today and all my days
e rógo-lle que me queira por séu and I pray that She will have me […] To be Her troubadour for all I'm worth.
Trobador e que queira méu trobar […] for her troubadour and accept my songs, I pray that She accept the songs I sing,
receber, ca per el quér' éu mostrar for through them I seek to reveal For through these songs Her miracles I bring
dos miragres que ela fez; e ar the miracles She performed. Hence To ears who will respond by worshipping.
querrei-me leixar de trobar des i from now on I choose to sing For other ladies I will sing no more;
por outra dona, e cuid' a cobrar for no other lady, and I think thereby to recover With this I may recover everything
per esta quant' enas outras perdí. all that I have wasted on the others. I wasted on the loves I sang before.
Ca o amor desta Sennor é tal, For the love of this Lady is such Her love is such that who Her love obtains
que queno á sempre per i mais val; that he who has it is forever the more worhty for it, Becomes more worthy to receive its gains,
e poi-lo gaannad' á, non lle fal, and once he has earned it, never does it fail him, And once he earns it, always it remains,
senôn se é per sa grand' ocajôn, unless, to his misfortune, Unless he turn his back on God above
querendo leixar ben e fazer mal, he departs from good and does wrong. And sadly he his wickedness sustains.
ca per esto o pérd' e per al non. Thus, and in no other way, does he lose it. No other way is there to lose Her love.
Porên dela non me quér' éu partir, Therefore, I will never depart from Her, So from my Lady's side I'll never leave,
ca sei de pran que, se a ben servir, for I know full well that if I serve Her faithfully For if I rightly serve Her I'll receive
que non poderei en séu ben falir I shall never be deprived Her blessing and Her beautiful reprieve,
de o aver, ca nunca i faliu of Her blessing. No one ever failed to receive it Which She has always graciously conferred
quen llo soube con mercee pedir, who humbly begged for it, On those who humbly beg and simply grieve,
ca tal rógo sempr' ela ben oiu. for such a prayer She always heard. For such a prayer Our Lady always heard.
Onde lle rógo, se ela quisér, Therefore I pray, if it be Her will, I pray, if She would will it so to be,
que lle praza do que dela dissér that what I shall say of Her The words I sing would please Her utterly
en méus cantares e, se ll' aprouguér, in my songs be pleasing to Her, and if it please Her, And that if She is pleased, She give to me
que me dé gualardôn com' ela dá that She give me the reward which She gives The good reward She gives to those who bring
aos que ama; e queno soubér, to those She loves. He who has this assurance Their hearts to feel Her love adoringly.
por ela mais de grado trobará. will gladly sing for Her. Who has this pledge of Her will gladly sing.
Alfonso X el Sabio, King of Castile and León Alfonso. Songs of Holy Mary of Alfonso X, the Wise: A Translation of the Cantigas de Santa Maria. Trans. Kathleen Kulp-Hill. Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, 2000. Print. Carol Anne Perry Lagemann