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Gaucelm Faidit
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I. |
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Chascus hom deu conoisser
et entendre |
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que riquesa ni sens ni
cortesia |
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que sia el mon no·ns pot de
mort defendre, |
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c’al iorn c’om nais
comenssa a morir |
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5 |
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e qui mais viu plus poigna
de fenir; |
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doncs ben es fols cel qu’en
sa vida·s fia, |
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si be·s penssa de prion sa
folia, |
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car nos es tost lo gentils
cors faillitz |
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d’una valen comtessa
Biatritz. |
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II. |
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10 |
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Donc negus hom no pot per
dreich contendre |
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oimais, en tan con Dieus
ten en baillia, |
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non puosca mais sa part de
valor rendre, |
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d’enseignamen ni d’aut cor,
don dei dir; |
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e puois Dieus, se de mort
non volc garir |
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15 |
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cui totz los bes del mon
complitz avia, |
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ia non fara als autres
seignoria, |
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que tuich morrem e qui mais
er grazitz |
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ni plus ama·l segle mais
n’er trahitz. |
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III. |
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Con ausam donc aquesta mort
atendre |
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20 |
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can adobat trobam a chascun
dia |
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que nostra mort podem en
vida rendre? |
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Car Dieus nos ditz que
l’anem lai servir |
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on El fo mortz per nos
dampnatz garir; |
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e qui morir per lui vengar
volria, |
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25 |
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cobran son dreich qu’a
perdut en Suria, |
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ab gran razon venria gen
garnitz |
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al iutgamen lai on er Iesu
Cristz. |
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IV. |
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Qui per Dieu vai l’aver e·l
cors despendre |
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de paradis l’er uberta la
via |
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30 |
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e qui no·i vai deu baissar
e dissendre |
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de tot’honor, car tem que
Dieus l’azir |
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qui reman sai ni pot anar
garnir, |
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qu’ie·n sai de tals c’avers
e manentia |
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e diables e pechatz e
bauzia |
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35 |
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·ls a retengutz con fals
avars aunitz, |
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guerriers de Dieu e de totz
bes partitz. |
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V. |
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Ben se cuiden en las terras
estendre |
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e far conquistz, mas
autramen cuich sia, |
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car Dieus lo reis sap
s’arbalesta tendre |
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40 |
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e trai carrels trenchans
per ben ferir |
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e negus hom del colp no·is
pot gandir |
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can El s’irais e ve c’om
no·s chastia; |
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mas, qui·l dopta ni vas Lui
s’omilia, |
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aquel aura chapdel Sains
Esperitz, |
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45 |
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e, qui no·l fai, er en
enfern punitz. |
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VI. |
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A totz degra de dolor lo
cors fendre |
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del deseret del fill sainta
Maria, |
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mas, co·l laire qui ve los
autres pendre, |
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s’esforssa plus del mal ses
repentir |
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50 |
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lo mal segle, don Dieus nos
lais issir |
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a salvamen, si con ops nos
seria, |
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e Mon Thesaur – que lais en
Lombardia – |
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don Dieus salut, car de
totz nos es guitz, |
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e dels crozatz los cors
e·ls esperitz. |
English translation [LP]
I. Each person should know and understand
that no riches or wisdom or courtliness in the world can defend us against
death, for on the day of one’s birth one begins to die, and whoever lives
longest is keenest to reach the end; therefore the person who relies on living
is a certainly a fool, if he reflects deeply on his folly, since a noble and
worthy countess, Beatrice has suddenly been lost to us.
II. Therefore from now on no-one can rightly argue that he is unable to
contribute in God’s realm his own share of aid, wisdom and courage, which I will
speak about; and since God did not wish to save from death the person who had
all the world’s perfect blessings, He will certainly not grant privilege to
others, for we shall all die and whoever is most praised and most loves the
world will be all the more betrayed by this.
III. How therefore can we dare to wait for this death when every day we are
prepared to find that we can transform our death to life? For God tells us that
we should go to serve Him in the place where He died to save us, damned as we
are; and whoever is disposed to die to avenge Him, recovering His rights that He
has lost in Syria, will come well-equipped with a strong line of argument to the
judgment where Jesus Christ will be.
IV. To the man who goes to sacrifice his wealth and body for God’s sake the way
to Paradise will be opened, and whoever does not go must decline and fall from
all honour, for I fear that God hates him who remains here and [yet] is able to
go and get armed, for I know of some people whom possessions and wealth and the devil
and sin and trickery have held back as false shameful misers, enemies of God and
divided from all goodness.
V. They certainly imagine to extend their lands and make conquests, but I think
this will be otherwise, since God the King knows how to stretch His crossbow and
fires sharp darts to strike well, and no man can defend himself from the blow
when He is angry and sees that a man does not correct himself; but he who fears
and humbles himself before Him, that man will have the Holy Spirit as his guide,
but he who does not do so will be punished in Hell.
VI. The hearts of all should split asunder for grief at the disinheritance of
Holy Mary’s Son, but, like the thief who sees others hanged, the wicked world
makes all the more effort to do evil without repenting; may God let us go out of
it towards redemption, as is needful for us, and God grant salvation to My
Treasure – whom I am leaving in Lombardy – since He is guide to all of us, and
to the bodies and souls of the crusaders.
Text: Walter Meliga,
Rialto 21.i.2015.
Notes:
Gaucelm probably composed this song in 1201 or 1202 as preparations for
the Fourth Crusade were getting under way. – Lines 10-13: for these difficult
lines, see Meliga’s note. As he (very plausibly) interprets them to mean that
no-one can refuse God his own share of commitment to the crusade, I take
valor in the sense of «aide» (PD; cf. SW, VIII, 579, 5
«Hilfe»). I think the phrase en tan con Dieus ten en baillia (11) must
refer to the Holy Land as God’s property, rather than the whole world, even
though it may seem odd to have God in charge of just part of it.
[LP, lb]
BdT
Gaucelm Faidit
167.14
Songs
referring to the crusades
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