Kalenda maia ni fueills de faia
ni chans d’auzell ni flors de glaia
non es qe-m plaia, pros dona gaia,
tro q’un isnell messagier aia
de vostre bell cors, qi-m retraia
plazer novell q’amors m’atraia e jaia
e-m traia vas vos, donna veraia, e chaia
de plaia-l gelos, anz qe-m n’estraia.

Ma bell’amia, per Dieu non sia qe ja-l gelos
de mon dan ria, qe car vendria sa gelozia,
si aitals dos amantz partia;
q’ieu ja joios mais non seria,
ni jois ses vos pro no-m tenria:
tal via faria q’oms ja mais no-m veiria;
cell dia morria, donna pros, q’ie-us perdria.

Con er perduda ni m’er renduda
donna, s’enanz non l’ai aguda?
Qe drutz ni druda non es per cuda;
mas qant amantz en drut si muda,
l’onors es granz q’el n’es creguda;
e-l bels semblanz fai far tal bruda;
qe nuda tenguda
no-us ai, ni d’als vencuda;
volguda, cresuda
vos ai, ses autr’ajuda.

Tart m’esjauzira, pos ja-m partira,
Bells Cavalhiers, de vos ab ira,
q’ailhors no-s vira
mos cors, ni-m tira
mos deziriers, q’als non dezira;
q’a lauzengiers sai q’abellira,
donna, q’estiers non lur garira:
tals vira, sentira
mos danz, qi-lls vos grazira, qe-us mira,
cossira cuidanz, don cors sospira.

Tant gent comensa, part totas gensa, na Beatritz,
e pren creissensa vostra valensa;
per ma credensa, de pretz garnitz vostra tenensa
e de bels ditz, senes failhensa;
de faitz grazitz tenetz semensa;
siensa, sufrensa avetz e coneissensa;
valensa ses tensa vistetz ab benvolensa.

Donna grazida, qecs lauz’e crida vostra valor
q’es abellida, e qi-us oblida, pauc li val vida,
per q’ie-us azor, donn’eissernida;
qar per gençor vos ai chauzida e per meilhor,
de prez complida, blandida, servida
genses q’Erecs Enida.
Bastida, finida, n’Engles, ai l’estampida.

Raimbaut de Vaqueiras (c1150-1207)

Neither May Day nor beech leaves
nor birdsong nor gladioli
can please me, worthy and joyous lady,
until I receive a swift messenger
from your fair self, to tell me of
some new pleasure and joy which love brings me,
and I hurry to you, faithful lady, and the jealous one
falls stricken before I leave you.

My love, God forbid that the jealous one
should ever laugh at my misfortune, for he would pay dearly
for his jealousy if he parted two such lovers;
for I would never be joyful again,
and joy without you would be nothing to me;
I would go where no one would ever see me again;
I would die, worthy lady, the day I lost you.

How could a lady be lost or restored to me,
if she has never been mine?
For men and women are not lovers in thought alone;
but when a wooer becomes a lover,
great is the honour that accrues to him,
and the sight of his happiness
gives rise to such rumours; for I have never embraced you naked,
or conquered you in any other way;
I have desired you, put my trust in you,
without any benefit in return.

I could not easily be consoled, Fair Knight,
once I had left you in sorrow,
for my heart is not inclined to anyone else,
nor does my desire lead me elsewhere,
for I desire no other;
I know, lady, this would please the slanderers,
and nothing else would satisfy them:
such a person would see and hear
of my misfortune and thank you for it, for he looks on you
and longs for you presumptuously, which makes my heart sigh.

Your reputation begins so nobly, Lady Beatrice,
excels all others, and continues to increase;
by my faith, you adorn your authority
with merit and eloquence, without fail;
you are the source of gracious deeds;
you have knowledge, patience, and discrimination;
without a doubt, you clothe your virtue with kindness.

Gracious lady, everyone praises and proclaims your virtue,
and whoever forgets you leads a worthless life;
therefore I adore you, distinguished lady;
for I have chosen you as the noblest and the best,
perfect in virtue; I have praised and served you
more nobly than Erec did Enide.
Sir Engles, I have made and finished the estampida.