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De Fortune me doi pleindre et loer, Ce m'est avis, plus qu'autre creature; Car quant premiers encommencay l'amer, Mon cuer, m'amour, ma pensée, ma cure Mist si bien à mon plaisir Qu'à souhaidier peüsse je faillir, N'en ce monde ne fust mie trouvée Dame qui fust si tres bien assenée. Car je ne puis penser n'imaginer Ne dedens moy trouver qu'onques Nature De quanqu'on puet bon et bel appeller Peüst faire si parfaite figure De celui ou mi desir Sont et seront à tous jours sans partir; Et pour ce croy qu'onques mais ne fut née Dame qui fust si tres bien assenée. Lasse! or ne puis en ce point demourer, Car Fortune qui onques n'est seüre Sa roe veut encontre moy tourner Pour mon las cuer mettre à disconfiture. Mais en foy, jusqu'au morir Mon dous amy vueil amer et cherier, Qu'onques ne dut avoir fausse pensée Dame qui fust si tres bien assenée.
Text Authorship:
- by Guillaume de Machaut (c1300 - 1377) [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Guillaume de Machaut (c1300 - 1377), "De Fortune me doi pleindre et loer" [vocal trio or vocal quartet], ballade [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "Fortune I must both complain of and praise", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 155
Fortune I must both complain of and praise, More than any other created thing; that is my view. For when first I began to love him – My heart, my love, my thoughts, my care – [Fortune] arranged it so well for my pleasure That even if I could have failed in desiring, Never in this world would there have been found A lady who had gained so much. For I cannot think or imagine Nor within myself find that ever Nature From all that one could call good and fair Could make so perfect a form As his on whom my desires Are and will be, forever without ending; And therefore I believe that never before was born A lady who had gained so much. Alas! yet I cannot stay in this place, For Fortune who is never sure Chooses to turn her wheel against me To bring my sad heart into distress. But in faith, until I die I want to love and cherish my sweet love, For never ought have an untrue thought A lady who had gained so much.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Old French (Ancien français) to English copyright © 2015 by David Wyatt, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in Old French (Ancien français) by Guillaume de Machaut (c1300 - 1377)
This text was added to the website: 2015-01-13
Line count: 24
Word count: 183