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44. Balade: «Ainsi puet il don d’amours desservir»







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44. Balade: «Ainsi puet il don d’amours desservir»

Qui veult entrer en l’amoureux servage
Ne si mette s’il ne veult maintenir
Ce qui s’ensuit, selon le droit usage,
De vray amant qui tant a aquerir
Grace d’amours et a honneur venir.
Premierement, c’est d’amer loyaument,
Estre secret, pour son fait miex couvrir.
Soit doulx, courtois, de gent contenement.
Ainsi puet il don d’amours desservir.

De soy vanter ne tiengne point langage;
Sur toute riens s’en doit bien abstenir.
De trop parler se gart, car c’est oultrage,
Et s’en voit on souvent mesavenir.
De son povoir doit sa dame servir,
Honneur porter sur toutes bonnement,
Craindre, doubter, amer, et obeir,
Souvent prier tresamoureusement.
Ainsi puet il don d’amours desservir.

A Doulx Espoir face tousdiz hommage.
Pour mal qu’il ait, ne le vueil guerpir.
Et ne soit pas a largesse sauvage:
Son fait, son bien en pourroit amenrir.
Par largesce puet on bien adoulcir
Et amolir un dur cuer grandement.
A tous face et a toutes plaisir.
S’en aura pris, loz, et avancement.
Ainsi puet il don d’amours desservir.
 
44. Ballade: “That’s how he can earn the gifts of love”

Let him who wants to enter love’s servitude
Not do it if he does not want to observe
What follows, according to proper custom,
For a true lover who tries to acquire
Grace in love and to come to honor.
First of all, it is to love loyally,
To be discreet, to better hide his state.
Let him be gentle, courteous, of noble bearing.
That’s how he can earn the gifts of love.

Let him not use speech in order to boast;
Above all else, from that he must refrain.
Let him keep from talking too much, for that’s an offense,
And one often sees misfortune follow.
As best he can, he ought to serve his lady,
To do honor to all women humbly,
To fear, to dread, to love, and to obey,
To pray often in a deeply loving way.
That’s how he can earn the gifts of love.

Let him always pay homage to Sweet Hope.
Whatever pain he has, let him not give up.
And let him not be a stranger to largesse:
His state and his well-being could be reduced.
By largesse one can very easily sweeten
And soften a hard heart to a great extent.
Let him be pleasing to every man and woman.
Then he will have esteem, praise, and advancement.
That’s how he can earn the gifts of love.