by Antonin Perbosc (1861 - 1944)
Translation © by Laura Prichard

Lauraires e trobaires
Language: Occitan 
Our translations:  ENG
La tèrra se durbis als afogats gasèls.
L'etèrna nòvia ofrís a lor esquiçadura,
per l'obrança d'amor e de congrelhadura
sos popèls tant molzuts e etèrnament piucèls.

E tram totes los camps e jos totes los cèls,
sul grand rugle virant que'l l'Astràs escaudura, 
es lo mème òbra santa e la mèma ondradura 
de parelhs afanats engarlandats d'ausèls.

Enrengatz-vos, bordons! La rega del Lauraire
E la d'aquel que ten lo calam per araire
pòrtan un nom pariu en parlar occitan,

e l'Estròfa es atal sòrre de la Mossada:
Trobaires e Boièrs fan levar, en cantant,
lo doble noiriment de vida e de pensada.

Available sung texts: (what is this?)

•   J. Canteloube 

Confirmed with Antonin Perbosc, L'Arada = L'arée, with a French translation by Xavier Ravier, Biarritz : Atlantica, 2000.

Note: Perbosc strove to “purify” modern Occitan in order to recreate the language used by medieval troubadours. He wanted to make the linguistic work of Frédéric Mistral “more classical.” Mistral won the 1904 Nobel Prize for Literature for his work restoring the language of Provence, and Canteloube preferred his approach to Occitan. Canteloube's sung text therefore differs in spelling.

Text as set by Canteloube: 

La tèrra se durbis als afogats gazèls.
L'etèrna nòbia ofris à lor esquisadura,
Per l'obransa d'amor e de congrelhadura, 
Sos popèls tant molzuts etèrnament piucèls.

E tram totes los camps, e jos totes los cèls,
Sul grand rugle virant que l'Astràs escaudura,
Es la mema òbra santa e la mema ondradura
De parels afanats engarlandats d'auzèls.

Enrengatz-vos, bordons! La règa del lauraire 
E la d'aquel que ten lo calam per araire 
Portan un nom pariu en parlar occitan,
E l'estròfa es atal sòrre de la mosada:

Trobaires e boiers fan levar, en cantant,
Lo dople noiriment de vida e de pensada.


Text Authorship:

Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (Laura Prichard) , "Plowmen and troubadors", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Laura Prichard [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2019-07-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 102

Plowmen and troubadors
Language: English  after the Occitan 
The earth opens herself to the ardent plowshares
The eternal bride offers herself to their lascerations,
For the work of love and of procreating,
Her breasts so milk-filled, eternally virgin.

And across all the fields, and under all of heaven, 
On the great spinning sphere that the Sun heats,
It's the same holy work and the same clothing
On panting pairs of oxen, garlanded with birds.

Straighten yourselves, furrows! The row of the plowman 
And that of one who holds a pen in place of a plow
Carry the same name in Occitan, 
And the stroph is therefore the sister of the plowing:

Troubadours and ox herdsmen elevate, through singing, 
The double nourishment of life and of thought.

Translator's notes:
Line 3-1: "furrow" refers to both a single furrow and a poetic refrain.
Line 3-4: "plowing" refers to both the literal furrow lines created by the plow, as well as the strophe (lines) of a poem


Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Occitan to English copyright © 2019 by Laura Prichard, (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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This text was added to the website: 2019-07-23
Line count: 14
Word count: 118