English translation of S'elle m'amera

by Johannes Ockeghem (1410?25 - 1497), "S'elle m'amera", note: the part that begins "Petite camusette" is marked "TENOR, CONTRATENOR I & II"

Note: this is a translation of one multi-text setting.

S'elle m'amera je ne scay
Mais je me mectray en essay
D'acquerir quelque peu sa grace
Force m'est que par la je passe
Ceste fois j'en feray l'essay

L'autre jour tant je m'avençay
Que presque tout mon cuer lessay
Aller sans que luy demandasse.
    S'elle m'amera je ne scay
    Mais je me mettray en essay
    D'acquerir quelque peu sa grace

Puis apres le cop me pensay
Que lonctemps a que ne cessay
Ne ne fut que je ne l'amasse
Mais c'est ung jeu de passe passe
J'en suis comme je començay

    S'elle m'amera je ne scay
    Mais je me mettray en essay
    D'acquerir quelque peu sa grace
    Force m'est que par la je passe
    Ceste fois j'en feray l'essay

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

Go to the general single-text view

Researcher for this page: David Wyatt 
Petite camusette, à la mort m'avez mis.
Robin et Marion s'en vont au bois joly.
Ilz s'en vont, ilz s'en vont bras à bras,
ilz se sont endormis. 
Petite camusette, à la mort m'avez mis.

Text Authorship:

  • by Anonymous / Unidentified Author

See other settings of this text.

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
Author(s): Anonymous/Unidentified Artist 
If she will love me
I do not know if she will love me,
But I shall make the attempt
To gain some small part of her good will.
It is forced on me that I should go this way,
This time I shall make the attempt.

The other day I advanced so far
That I almost let my whole heart
Go, without asking anything of her.
  If she will love me
  I do not know if she will love me,
  But I shall make the attempt.

Then after that blow I thought
That it's a long time since I could not stop
Nor was there a time when I didn't love her;
But it's a game of catch as catch can
And I am as I was when I started.

  If she will love me
  I do not know if she will love me,
  But I shall make the attempt
  To gain some small part of her good will.
  It is forced on me that I should go this way,
  This time I shall make the attempt.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from Old French (Ancien français) to English copyright © 2012 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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Little snub-nose, you have put me to death.
Robin and Marion went together to the pretty wood;
They went together, they went together arm in arm,
They slept there together.
Little snub-nose, you have put me to death.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from French (Français) to English copyright © 2012 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.
    Contact: 

Based on:

Go to the general single-text view


Translation © by David Wyatt