by Guillaume IX d'Aquitaine, Comte de Poitiers (1071 - 1127)
Translation by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Farai un vers de dreyt nien
Language: Occitan
Chosen for Diff
Farai un vers de dreyt nien : Non er de mi ni d’autra gen, Non er d’amor ni de joven, Ni de ren au, Qu’enans fo trobatz en durmen Sobre chevau. No sai en quai hora.m fuy natz : No suy alegres ni iratz, No suy estrayns ni sui privatz, Ni no.n puesc au, Qu’enaissi fuy de nueitz fadatz, Sobr’ un pueg au. No sai qu’ora.m suy endurmitz Ni quora.m velh, s’om no m’o ditz. Per pauc no m’es lo cor partitz D’un dol corau ; E no m’o pretz una soritz Pei sanh Marsau ! Malautz suy e cre mi murir, E ren no.n sai mas quan n’aug dir : Metge querrai al mieu albir, E no sai cau ; Bos metges er si.m pot guérir, Mas non, si amau. Amigu’ ai ieu, no sai qui s’es, Qu’anc non la vi, si m’ajut fes ; Ni.m fes que.m plassa ni que.m pes, Ni no m’en eau, Qu’anc non ac Norman ni Frances Dins mon ostau. Anc non la vi et am la fort, Anc no n’aic dreyt ni no.m fes tort ; Quan non la vey, be m’en déport, No.m pretz un jau, Qu’ie.n sai gensor e bellazor, E que mais vau. Fag’ai lo vers, no say de cuy ; E trametrai lo a selhuy Que lo.m trametra per autruy Lay ves Anjau, Que.m tramezes del sieu estuy La contraclau.
Confirmed with Guillaume IX de Poitiers Voir, Les chansons de Guillaume IX, Alfred Jeanroy, Paris : H. Champion, 1913, p.30
Text Authorship:
- by Guillaume IX d'Aquitaine, Comte de Poitiers (1071 - 1127), "Farai un vers de dreyt nien" [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):
- [ None yet in the database ]
The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:
- by Anian Wiedner (b. 2001), "The Song of Nothing", 2025 [ soprano, bass flute and percussion ], note: the sung text interleaves fragments of the original Occitan text and the translation
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Tansy Davies.
- Also set in English, a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [an adaptation] ; composed by Anian Wiedner.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Anonymous/Unidentified Artist) [an adaptation]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-08
Line count: 42
Word count: 222
I will write a song of pure nothingness
Language: English after the Occitan
Chosen for Diff
I will write a song of pure nothingness: It will not be about me, or anyone else, It will not be about love, or youth, Nor about anything else. Because it came to me while sleeping on a horse. I do not know when I was born, I am neither happy nor sad, I am neither a stranger, nor am I rooted here, Nor can I be otherwise, Because my fate was sealed one night On a high hill. I do not know when I sleep Nor when I awake, unless I'm told. My heart was almost broken By a deep pain, And, by St Martial, I do not care at all. I am sick and I fear death And know nothing of it save what I hear. I will seek a doctor, best suited to me, But I do not know who he will be, If he is a doctor, he will cure me, If he is not, my pain will deepen. I have a friend, but I do not know her, Because, by faith, I have never met her. She has neither pleased nor grieved me, Nor do I care. Since I have had neither a Norman, nor a Frenchman In my house. I have never met her, but I love her dearly, She has been neither true nor untrue to me. When I don't see her, I pass my time happily, Nor do I care, For I know another; kinder, more beautiful, And one who is worth more. I do not know where she lives, If she is on a high hill or on the plain, [I dare not say how she has wronged me,] I therefore remain silent, And it grieves me to stay here, For that reason I will leave. I have written this song, about whom, I do not know, And I will send it to one, Who will pass it to another, And thereon, towards Poitiers, So that he might send me The second key to that box.
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Occitan by Guillaume IX d'Aquitaine, Comte de Poitiers (1071 - 1127), "Farai un vers de dreyt nien"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Tansy Davies (b. 1973), "Song of Pure Nothingness", 2012, first performed 2013 [ voice and indian harmonium or piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Tansy Davies (b. 1973), "The Second Key", 2011/2016, copyright © 2016, first performed 2016 [ mezzo-soprano or countertenor and instrumental ensemble ], Faber
Publisher: Faber [external link] [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2026-08-14
Line count: 45
Word count: 335