Poem
Troubadour poetry
SONG ABOUT A WORSENING WORLD
Things I knew I know no longerin this world that’s changed so much,
and thinking about it I find I must
think in ways I never thought,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
This world, God knows, is not the same
as what I remember from my youth,
and could I choose between the two,
I’d take the old one any day,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
I have no reason to fear death,
and in fact I’d like to die,
as there’s no pleasure in this life
and no one I can call my friend,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
I hope and pray God will accept
the way I think for my own part,
as I’ve decided in my heart
never to do good works again,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
And I wouldn’t give two cents to live
any longer here than what I’ve lived.
© Translation: 1995, Richard Zenith
SIRVENTÊS
SIRVENTÊS
Do que sabia nulha rén non sei,polo mundo, que vej’assi andar;
e, quand’i cuido, ei log’a cuidar,
per boa fé, o que nunca cuidei:
ca vej’agora o que nunca vi
e ouço cousas que nunca oí.
Aqueste mundo, par Deus, non é tal
qual eu vi outro, non á gran sazon;
e por aquesto, no meu coraçon,
aquel desej’e este quero mal,
ca vej’agora o que nunca vi
e ouço cousas que nunca oí.
E non receo mia morte poren,
e, Deus lo sabe, queria morrer,
ca non vejo de que aja prazer
nen sei amigo de que diga ben:
ca vej’agora o que nunca vi
e ouço cousas que nunca oí.
E, se me a min Deus quisess’atender,
per boa fé, ?a pouca razon,
eu post’avia no meu coraçon
de nunca já mais neun ben fazer,
ca vej’agora o que nunca vi
e ouço cousas que nunca oí.
E non daria ren por viver i
en este mundo mais do que vivi.
Poems
Poems of Troubadour poetry
Close
SONG ABOUT A WORSENING WORLD
Things I knew I know no longerin this world that’s changed so much,
and thinking about it I find I must
think in ways I never thought,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
This world, God knows, is not the same
as what I remember from my youth,
and could I choose between the two,
I’d take the old one any day,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
I have no reason to fear death,
and in fact I’d like to die,
as there’s no pleasure in this life
and no one I can call my friend,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
I hope and pray God will accept
the way I think for my own part,
as I’ve decided in my heart
never to do good works again,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
And I wouldn’t give two cents to live
any longer here than what I’ve lived.
© 1995, Richard Zenith
SONG ABOUT A WORSENING WORLD
Things I knew I know no longerin this world that’s changed so much,
and thinking about it I find I must
think in ways I never thought,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
This world, God knows, is not the same
as what I remember from my youth,
and could I choose between the two,
I’d take the old one any day,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
I have no reason to fear death,
and in fact I’d like to die,
as there’s no pleasure in this life
and no one I can call my friend,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
I hope and pray God will accept
the way I think for my own part,
as I’ve decided in my heart
never to do good works again,
for I’m seeing things I’ve never seen
and hearing things I’ve never heard.
And I wouldn’t give two cents to live
any longer here than what I’ve lived.
© 1995, Richard Zenith
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