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by Guillaume de Machaut (c1300 - 1377)
Translation © by David Wyatt
Liement me deport
Language: French (Français)
Our translations: ENG
Liement me deport Par samblant, mais je port, Sans joie et sans deport, Une si grief pointure Que je sui au droit port De mort, sans nul deport Se d’amours n’ay tel port Qui me pregne en sa cure. Car quant de vo figure La douce pourtraiture Dedens mon cuer recort, Espris sui d'une arsure Ardant, crueuse et sure, [Pleinne de tout descort]1; Car Desirs son effort Fait de moy grever fort, Mais j'ay cuer assez fort Contre sa blesseüre. Si ne me deconfort, Car d'espoir me confort Qui me donne confort En vostre douceur pure. Liement me deport... Si qu'einsi m'asseüre Espoirs, qui en moy dure, Vers Desir qui ha tort, Quant sans nulle mesure Quiert ma desconfiture, Qu'à moy toudis s'amort, N'en riens ne s'en remort. Il ne tent qu'à ma mort, Il me point, il me mort: Trop me nuist sa morsure. Il m'aroit tantost mort Par son mervilleus sort, Se n'estoit le ressort D'esperence seüre. Liement me deport... Mais pour peinne qu'endure, Tant soit à porter dure, N'orrez vilain rapport, Que je pense laidure, Barat ne mespresure Vers vostre gentil port; A Amours m'en raport. Et en Pitez endort Mon desir qui ne dort. Joie ert pour moy meüre. Dieu pri qu'il vous enort, Si qu'en soiez d'acort, Belle, qu'à vous m'acort Seur toute creature. Liement me deport...
View original text (without footnotes)
1 in some editions, "Plaine de desconfort"
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
1 in some editions, "Plaine de desconfort"
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), "Liement me deport", monophonic virelai [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "I behave happily", 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: 53
Word count: 222
I behave happily
Language: English after the French (Français)
I behave happily
In appearance, but I bear
Without joy and without amusement
So grievous a wound
That I am right at the door
Of death, without any diversion
If from love I do not have such assistance
As would bring me into his care.
For when I recall within my heart
The sweet portrait
Of your face,
I am seized by a burning
Passion, cruel and bitter,
[Full of all discord]1;
For desire makes his attempt
To hurt me badly,
But I have a heart strong enough
Against his wound.
So I do not despair
For I strengthen myself with hope
Which gives me comfort
In your pure sweetness.
I behave happily …
So hope, which lives on in me,
Thus reassures me
Against Desire which is wrong
When she seeks my defeat
Without restraint.
For he always eats away at me
And shows no remorse at all.
He aims only at my death;
He wounds me, he kills me;
His bite is too harmful to me.
He would soon have me dead
Through his wondrous spell,
If I did not have the support
Of certain hope.
I behave happily …
But despite the pain which I endure
Though it is hard to support,
You shall have no ignoble report;
That I think would be an outrage,
Deceit and blameworthy
Towards your noble demeanour.
I call Love to witness.
And on your Pity rests
My love which sleeps not.
Joy remains ripe for me.
I pray God that he will advise you
So that you will be in agreement,
My fair one, that I should be joined with you
Above all other creatures.
I behave happily …
View original text (without footnotes)
1 in some editions, "full of despair"
1 in some editions, "full of despair"
Text Authorship:
- Translation from French (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.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in French (Français) by Guillaume de Machaut (c1300 - 1377)
This text was added to the website: 2015-01-13
Line count: 53
Word count: 279