Paroles et traduction June Tabor - Ce Fu En Mai

Ce Fu En Mai

Ce fut en mai
Au douz tens gai
Que la saisons est bele
Main me levai
Joer m′alai
Lez une fontenele
En un vergier
Clos d'aiglentier
Oi une viele
La vi dancier
Un chevalier
Et une damoisele
Cors orent gent
Et avenant
Et molt très bien dançoient
En acolant
Et en baisant
Molt biau se deduisoient
Au chief du tor
En un destor
Doi et doi s′en aloient
Le jeu d'amor
Desus la flor
A lor plaisir faisoient
J'alai avant
Molt redoutant
Que mus d′aus ne me voie
Maz et pensant
Et desirrant
D′avoir ausi grant joie
Lors vi lever
Un de lor per
De si loing com j'estoie
Por apeler
Et demander
Qui sui ni que queroie
J′alai vers aus
Dis lor mes maus
Que une dame amoie
A cui loiaus
Sanz estre faus
Tot mon vivant seroie
Por cui plus trai
Peine et esmai
Que dire ne porroie
Et bien le sai
Que je morrai
S'ele ne mi ravoie
Tot belement
Et doucement
Chascuns d′aus me ravoie
Et dient tant
Que Dieus briement
M'envoit de celi joie
Por qui je sent
Paine et torment:
Et je lor en rendoie
Merci molt grant
Et en plorant
A Dé les comandoie

It Was in May

It was in May
In the joyous springtime
That the season is beautiful
Early I arose
I walked happily
By a fountain
In an orchard
Enclosed with sweetbriar
I heard a vielle
There I saw dancing
A knight
And a damsel
They were fair
And comely
And danced very well
Embracing
And kissing
They enjoyed themselves greatly
At the end of the tower
In a secluded place
Two by two they went away
To play the game of love
Upon the flower
They did as they pleased
I walked forward
Very fearfully
Lest anyone should see me
Thoughtful and pensive
And desiring
To have as much joy
Then I saw arise
One of their companions
From as far away as I was
To call out
And ask
Who I was and what I wanted
I went towards them
I told them my troubles
That I loved a lady
To whom I was faithful
Without being false
All my life
For whom I suffer more
Pain and dismay
Than I can tell
And I know well
That I shall die
If she does not comfort me
Very gently
And sweetly
Each of them comforted me
And said so much
That God soon
May send me some of that joy
For which I feel
Pain and torment
And I gave them
My very great thanks
And weeping
I commended them to God