| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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 |