Heinrich von Morungen (d. 1222) Ow�, sol aber mir

I'd gaze forever

"I'd gaze forever if I might:
her body sheds a glow
whiter than a fall of snow,
and lights the night.
The glimmer tricked my eye
and made it seem to me
the moon was passing by�
and then day dawned."

"Some morning he won't have to leave
when the sky turns pale,
but now we greet the sun with grief:
I heard him wail
'Alas, the night has fled!'
That's what my lover said
last time we were in bed�
and then day dawned."

"She gave me kisses while she slept,
more than I could count,
but then when she awoke she wept,
all down her front.
I kissed the tears away
and quieted her cry:
she clove to me in play�
and then day dawned."

"Amazing, how he never tires
of feasting eyes on me!
He pulled the bedclothes off to see
what he admires.
What was there to discover
besides a naked lover?
(I'd keep us under cover)�
but then day dawned."

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translation �1999, 2001 Leonard Cottrell. All rights reserved.

main index for rhymed translations
Guilhem de Peitieu, the first known troubadour

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"Ow�, sol aber mir iemer m�
geliuhten dur die naht
noch w�zer danne ein sn�
ir l�p vil wol geslaht?
Der trouc diu ougen m�n:
ich w�nde, ez solde s�n
des liehten m�nen sch�n,
d� tagete ez."

"Ow�, sol aber er iemer m�
den morgen hie betagen?
Als uns diu naht eng�
daz wir niht durfen klagen:
'ow� n� ist ez tac',
als er mit klage pflac
do er jungest b� mir lac.
D� tagete ez."

"Ow�, si kuste �ne zal
in deme sl�fe mich.
D� vielen hin ze tal
ir tr�ne nider sich,
iedoch getr�ste ich si,
daz si ir weinen li,
und mich al ummevi.
D� tagete ez."

"Ow�, daz er s� dicke sich
b� mir ersehen h�t!
Als er endahte mich,
s� wolte er sunder w�t
m�n arme schouwen bl�z.
Ez was ein wunder gr�z,
daz in des nie verdr�z.
D� tagete ez."

*