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Maintes genz dient que en songes
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Many men say that there is nothing
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N'a se fables non e mençonges;
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in dreams but fables and lies,
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Mais l'en puet teus songes songier
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but one may have dreams
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Qui ne sont mie mençongier,
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which are not deceitful,
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5
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Ainz sont après bien aparant;
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whose import becomes quite clear afterward.
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Si en puis bien traire a garant
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We may take as witness
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Un auctor qui ot non Macrobes,
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an author named Macrobius,
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Qui ne tint pas songes a lobes,
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who did not take dreams as trifles,
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Ançois escrist l'avision
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for he wrote of the vision
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10
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Qui avint au roi Scipion.
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which came to King Scipio.
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Quiconques cuide ne qui die
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Whoever thinks or says
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Que soit folor e musardie
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that to believe in a dream's coming
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De croire que songes aveigne,
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true is folly and stupidity may,
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Qui ce voudra, por fol m'en teigne;
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if he wishes, think me a fool,
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15
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Car endroit moi ai je fiance
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but, for my part, I am convinced
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Que songes est senefiance
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that a dream signifies
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Des biens as genz e des enuiz;
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the good and evil that come to men,
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Car li plusor songent de nuiz
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for most men at night dream
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Maintes choses covertement
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many things in a hidden way
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20
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Que l'en voit puis apertement.
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which may afterward be seen openly.
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Ou vintierne an de mon aage,
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In the twentieth year of my life,
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Ou point qu'Amors prent le paage
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at the time when Love exacts his tribute
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Des juenes genz, couchiez m'estoie
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from young people, I lay down
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Une nuit, si con je soloie,
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one night, as usual,
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25
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E me dormoie mout forment;
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and slept very soundly.
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Si vi un songe en mon dormant
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During my sleep I saw
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Qui mout fu biaus e mout me plot;
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a very beautiful and pleasing dream;
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Mais en cel songe onques rien n'ot
|
but in this dream was nothing
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Qui trestot avenu ne soit
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which did not happen
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|
30
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Si con li songes recensoit.
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almost as the dream told it.
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Or vueil cel songe rimeier,
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Now I wish to tell this dream in rhyme,
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Por voz cuers plus faire esgaier,
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the more to make your hearts rejoice,
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Qu'Amors le me prie e comande.
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since Love both begs and commands me
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E se nus ne nule demande
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to do so. And if anyone asks
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35
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Coment je vueil que li romanz
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what I wish the romance to be called,
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Soit apelez que je comenz,
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which I begin here,
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Ce est li Romanz de la Rose,
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it is the Romance of the Rose,
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Ou l'Art d'Amors est toute enclose.
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in which the whole art of love is contained.
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La matire en est bone e nueve;
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Its matter is good and new;
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40
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Or doint Deus qu'en gré le reçueve
|
and God grant that she
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Cele por cui je l'ai empris;
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for whom I have undertaken it
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C'est cele qui tant a de pris
|
may receive it with grace.
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E tant est dine d'estre amee
|
It is she who is so precious and so worthy
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Qu'el doit estre Rose clamee.
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to be loved that she should be called Rose.
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