by Anonymous / Unidentified Author
Translation © by David Wyatt

Ce jour le doibt, aussi fait la saison
Language: French (Français) 
Available translation(s): ENG
I.
 Ce jour le doibt, aussi fait la saison,
 Et le prince d'amours l'a comandé:
 Que tout home, voillant acquerir non
 De vray amant, viengne par amisté
 Pour reciter balade gracieuse
 Que soit plaisante a sa damme amoureuse,
 Et se tiengne gracieuse et joly
 Joyeusement paré de quelque may,
 Et il aura gueredon de par ly
   Le premier jour de ce doulx moys de may.

II.
 Quant est de moy, je ne doy par raison
 A ce faillir, car bien gueredoné
 Suy par amours de dame de renom,
 Qui me donne toute joieuseté.
 Quant j'aperchoy sa biaulté merveilleuse,
 Son doulx regart, sa colour precieuse,
 Son doulx parler et son maintien aussy,
 Je ne poroye avoir soussy n'esmay,
 Dont j'ay cause de joye estre garni
   Le premier jour de ce doulx moys de may.

III.
 Et puisqu'ensy suy saisi de tel don,
 N'est ce raison que la serve a son gré,
 De voulenté sans nulle mesprison?
 Et en prison fusse bien enfermé.
 Sy suy fermé comme a la plus joyeuse
 Qui soit jusques a Muese ny a l'Euse.
 Tant qu'aray cuer party par nul party,
 Jamais ne changeray car, pour vray, l'ay
 Sur toute autre belle et bonne chosy,
   Le premier [jour de ce doulx moys de may.]

Envoi
 Prince joly, je defy de soussy,
 Car j'ay, pour vray, cuer gay, dont chanteray
 Cecy ainsy pour cy que j'ai servy:
   Le premier jour [de ce doulx moys de may.]

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, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "This day requires it, so does the season", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this text: Alberto Pedrotti

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 38
Word count: 238

This day requires it, so does the season
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
I.
This day requires it, so does the season,
And the prince of love has commanded it:
That every man who wants to obtain the name 
Of a true lover should come in friendship
To recite some gracious ballad
Which may be pleasant for his loving lady,
And should keep himself gracious and fair
Joyously adorned with some May-token
And he will have a reward from her
   On the first day of this sweet month of May.

II.
As for me, I must not for any reason
Fail in this, for I am well rewarded
By the love of a lady of renown
Who gives me all joy.
When I see her wonderful beauty,
Her sweet look, her precious colour,
Her sweet speech and her bearing too
I could not have worry or dismay
And so I have cause to be decked with joy
   On the first day of this sweet month of May.

III.
And since I am aware of this gift
Is that not reason to serve her as she wishes,
Willingly without a fault?
Even if I were shut up in prison
I am so firmly attached as to the most joyous lady
There could be, as far as the Meuse or Euse rivers.
As long as I shall have a heart divided by no other person
I shall never change for truly I have
Chosen her above all other good and fair ladies
   On the first day of this sweet month of May.

Coda:
[Fair prince, I wear no care
I say today my heart is gay
For her I serve most fervently]1.
   On the first day of this sweet month of May.

View original text (without footnotes)
1 Literal meaning of the coda:
Fair prince, I defy worry
For I have truly a happy heart, so I shall sing
Here thus for her whom I have served

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

 

This text was added to the website: 2012-05-22
Line count: 38
Word count: 277