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I. Mon chier amy, qu'avés vous empensé De rettenir en vous merancolie, Se Dieux vous a un bon amy osté Et dessevré de vostre compagnie? Ne mettés pas en abandon la vie; Priés pour luy, laissiés ce dueil aler; Car une fois nous fault ce pas passer. II. Vous savés bien, contre la volunté De Jhesucrist, ne la verge Marie, Nuls hom ne puet, tant soit hault eslevé De science ne de noble lignie. Tous convenra fenir, je vous affie; Il n'i a nul qui en puist eschaper, Car une fois nous fault [ce pas passer.] III. Pour tant vous pri, soiés reconforté Et recepvés en gré, je vous supplie, Ces trois chapiaux en don de charitté; Autre nouvel ne truis en no partie, Puor remettre vo cuer en chiere lei. Ne pensés plus a celui recouvrer: Car une fois [nous fault ce pas passer.] Envoi Amis, la mort ne poons eschever; Car [une fois nous fault ce pas passer.]
Authorship
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked 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 Dufay (c1400 - 1474), "Mon chier amy, qu'avés vous empensé" [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "My dear friend, why have you decided", 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: 27
Word count: 160
I. My dear friend, why have you decided To stay in your melancholy If God has removed a good friend from you And cut him off from your company? Don't abandon life, Pray for him, but let this grieving go, For one day we will have to go the same way. II. You know well, that against the will Of Jesus Christ or the virgin Mary No man can do anything, however great a student Of learning or however great his noble lineage. All things come to an end, I promise you; There's not one of us who can escape it For one day we will have to go the same way. III. Nevertheless I beg you, be comforted And willingly receive , I beg you, These three hats as a gift of charity; I could find no other news anywhere To put happiness again in your heart: Think no more of recovering him: For one day we will have to go the same way. Coda: Friend, we cannot escape death For one day we will have to go the same way.
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:
- a text in French (Français) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
This text was added to the website: 2012-05-22
Line count: 27
Word count: 182