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I. Se la face ay pale, La cause est amer, C'est la principale, Et tant m'est amer Amer, qu'en la mer Me voudroye voir; Or, scet bien de voir La belle a qui suis Que nul bien avoir Sans elle ne puis. II. Se ay pesante malle De dueil a porter, Ceste amour est male Pour moy de porter; Car soy deporter Ne veult devouloir, Fors qu'a son vouloir Obeisse, et puis Qu'elle a tel pooir, Sans elle ne puis. III. C'est la plus reale Qu'on puist regarder, De s'amour leiale Ne me puis guarder, Fol sui de agarder Ne faire devoir D'amour recevoir Fors d'elle, je cuis; Se ne veil douloir, Sans elle ne puis.
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), "Se la face ay pale" [text verified 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (David Wyatt) , title 1: "If my face is pale", 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: 33
Word count: 116
I.
If my face is pale
The cause is love
That's the main reason
And it is so bitter
To love that in the sea
I'd like to leap;
Indeed, she is well able to see,
That fair lady whose I am,
That I have no good thing as
I cannot exist without her.
II.
If I have a heavy load
Of care to carry
This love is bad
For me to carry.
For that I should enjoy myself
She does not want to allow
Except in obeying her wishes,
And since
She has such power for
I cannot exist without her.
III.
She's the most regal person
That you could ever see,
Loyal love for her
I can't help having,
Foolish I am to look at her
And make no effort
To receive love in return.
Apart from her, I burn
If I do not want to be sad
I cannot exist without her.
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: 33
Word count: 155