possibly by Guillaume Dufay (c1400 - 1474)
Translation © by David Wyatt

Craindre vous vueil, doulce dame de pris
Language: French (Français) 
Our translations:  ENG
Craindre vous vueil, doulce dame de pris,
Amer, doubter, louer en fais, en dis,
Tout mon vivant, en quelque lieu que soye,
Et vous donne, m'amour, ma seule joye,
Le cuer de moy tant que je seray vis.

Jamais ne suy annuieux ne pensis
Ne douleureux, quant je voy vo clair vis
Et vo maintieng en alant par la voie.
  Craindre [vous vueil, doulce dame de pris,
  Amer, doubter, louer en fais, en dis,
  Tout mon vivant, en quelque lieu que soye.]

De vous amer cel m'est un paradis,
Vëu les biens qui sont en vous compris;
Faire le doy quoy qu'avenir en doye.
A vous me rens, lyes mieux que de soye,
Joieusement, et bon espoir toudis.

  Craindre [vous vueil, doulce dame de pris,
  Amer, doubter, louer en fais, en dis,
  Tout mon vivant, en quelque lieu que soye,
  Et vous donne, m'amour, ma seule joye,
  Le cuer de moy tant que je seray vis.]

Note: The first letters of the verses spell out the name Cateline Dufai.

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, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "I want to fear you, sweet and worthy lady", copyright © 2012, (re)printed on this website with kind permission


Researcher for this page: Alberto Pedrotti

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 21
Word count: 156

I want to fear you, sweet and worthy lady
Language: English  after the French (Français) 
I want to fear you, sweet and worthy lady,
To love, to doubt, to praise in word and deed
All my life, wherever I may be
And I give you, my love and my only joy,
My heart for as long as I live.

I am never anxious or pensive
Or sad so long as I see your fair face
And your bearing as you go your way.
I want to fear you, sweet and worthy lady,
To love, to doubt, to praise in word and deed
All my life, wherever I may be.

To love you is for me a paradise
Considering the good things which are rolled up in you;
I must do it, whatever the future must be.
I give myself to you joyfully, my happiness better than silk,
And with myself I give good hope for ever. 

I want to fear you, sweet and worthy lady,
To love, to doubt, to praise in word and deed
All my life, wherever I may be
And I give you, my love and my only joy,
My heart for as long as I live.

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.
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Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2012-05-22
Line count: 21
Word count: 185