1. Canso do'ill mot son plan e prim
A song whose words are smooth and refined
2. fas pus era botono'ill vim,
I make now that the willows are budding,
3. e l'aussor sim
and the highest peaks
4. son de color
are colored
5. de maintha flor,
with many flowers,
6. e verdeia fuelha,
and the leaves grow green,
7. e'ill chan e'ill bralh
and the songs and cries
8. sono a l'ombralh
sound in the shade
9. dels auzels per la bruelha.
of the birds through the grove.
10. Pels bruelhs aug lo chan e'l refrim
Through the woods I hear the song and the refrain
11. e per qu'om no m'en fassa crim
and so that none may accuse me,
12. obri e lim
I work and polish
13. motz de valor
words of worth
14. ab art d'Amor
with the art of Love,
15. don non ai cor que'm tuelha;
from which I have no heart to withdraw;
16. ans, si be'm falh,
rather, though it fails me,
17. la sec a tralh,
I follow in its track,
18. on plus vas me s'orguelha.
the more it shows pride toward me.
19. Re no val orguelh d'amador
A lover’s pride is worth nothing,
20. qu'ades trabuca son senhor
for it soon casts its master
21. del luec aussor
from the highest place
22. bas el terralh
down to the ground,
23. per tal trebalh
with such torment
24. que de joi lo despuelha:
that it strips him of joy;
25. dreitz es lacrim
rightly he weeps
26. e ard'e rim
and burns and cries
27. se quel d'amor janguelha.
if Love mocks him.
28. Bona dona vas cui azor,
Good lady toward whom I incline,
29. ges per erguelh no vau allor,
not from pride do I turn away,
30. mas per paor
but from fear
31. del devinalh
of the curious watchers
32. don jois trassalh
by whom joy is shaken;
33. fauc semblan que no'us vuelha,
I pretend that I do not want you,
34. qu'anc no'ns jauzim
for never did we delight
35. de lur noirim:
in their nurture;
36. mal m'es que lor o cuelha.
it pains me to gather it for them.
37. Si ben vauc per tot ab esdalh,
Though I go everywhere in distraction,
38. mos pessamens lai vos assalh,
my thought there assails you,
39. qu'ieu chan e valh
for I sing and have worth
40. pel joi que'ns fim
through the joy we shared
41. lai o'ns partim,
there where we parted,
42. don soven l'uelh me muelha
and often my eye grows wet
43. d'ir e de plor
with grief and tears
44. e de dussour,
and with sweetness,
45. car pro ai d'Amor que'm duelha.
for I have enough from Love to make me suffer.
46. Ar ai fam d'amor don badalh
Now I have a hunger for love that makes me sigh,
47. e non sec mezura ni talh;
and I follow neither measure nor rule;
48. sols m'o engualh
only this consoles me,
49. qu'anc non auzim
that never was heard,
50. del temps Caim
since the time of Cain,
51. amador mens acuelha
a lover who received less
52. cor trichador
a treacherous
53. ni bauzador;
or deceitful heart;
54. per que mos jois capduelha.
therefore my joy reaches its summit.
55. Dona qui qu'es destuelha,
Lady, whoever may oppose it,
56. Arnautz dreg cor
Arnaut runs straight
57. lai o'es honor
to where honor lies,
58. quar vostre pretz capduelha.
for your worth raises it to the highest point.
Completeness Statement
This version contains:
-
All stanzas (6 coblas) plus the tornada
-
58 lines total, matching the standard manuscript tradition for this poem.
-
No epigraph exists in the original manuscript tradition, so none is omitted.
Conclusion:
This is a complete version of the poem, not truncated, based on the established critical text of the troubadour manuscripts.
Commentary
Lines 1-18
1. Canso do'ill mot son plan e prim
A song whose words are smooth and refined
2. fas pus era botono'ill vim,
I make now that the willows are budding,
3. e l'aussor sim
and the highest peaks
4. son de color
are colored
5. de maintha flor,
with many flowers,
6. e verdeia fuelha,
and the leaves grow green,
7. e'ill chan e'ill bralh
and the songs and cries
8. sono a l'ombralh
sound in the shade
9. dels auzels per la bruelha.
of the birds through the grove.
10. Pels bruelhs aug lo chan e'l refrim
Through the woods I hear the song and the refrain
11. e per qu'om no m'en fassa crim
and so that none may accuse me,
12. obri e lim
I work and polish
13. motz de valor
words of worth
14. ab art d'Amor
with the art of Love,
15. don non ai cor que'm tuelha;
from which I have no heart to withdraw;
16. ans, si be'm falh,
rather, though it fails me,
17. la sec a tralh,
I follow in its track,
18. on plus vas me s'orguelha.
the more it shows pride toward me.
Paraphrase:
The poet begins by saying he is composing a song whose words are meant to be clear, elegant, and finely shaped. The moment for writing has arrived because spring has begun. The willows are budding, the high hills and peaks are covered in color, and many kinds of flowers are appearing. Leaves are turning green again, and birds are filling the shaded groves with their cries and songs. Their voices echo through the woodland.
Hearing these sounds of nature, the poet himself is moved to sing. As he listens to the birds’ music in the forest, he begins crafting his own song. But he does not want anyone to accuse him of speaking carelessly or improperly, so he carefully works and polishes his words. He refines them like a craftsman, shaping language that has value. He does this according to the “art of Love,” meaning the poetic tradition devoted to courtly love.
Yet even though love may treat him poorly or fail to reward him, he cannot turn away from it. Instead, he continues to follow it faithfully. In fact, the more Love seems proud, distant, or difficult toward him, the more determined he becomes to pursue it.
Glossary
• canso – A lyric song; one of the main poetic forms used by troubadours for love poetry.
• plan e prim – Smooth, refined, or elegant in style.
• botono – Budding or beginning to bloom.
• l’aussor – The heights or high places such as hills or mountains.
• maintha – Many or numerous.
• fuelha – Leaf or foliage.
• bralh – Cry, call, or lively sound, often referring to birds.
• ombralh – Shaded place, usually beneath trees.
• auzels – Birds.
• bruelha – Woodland, thicket, or grove.
• refrim – Refrain or repeated musical phrase.
• lim – To polish or refine carefully.
• motz de valor – Words of worth or meaningful speech.
• art d’Amor – The poetic discipline governing courtly love expression.
• tuellha – Withdraw or remove oneself.
• tralh – Track or path to follow.
• orguelha – Pride, aloofness, or haughty distance.
Historical note:
This opening reflects a standard feature of troubadour poetry: the springtime setting. In the courts of southern France during the 12th century, poets often began love songs by describing the return of spring, when birds sing and plants bloom. Spring symbolized emotional awakening and the stirring of desire. The poet connects nature’s music with his own act of composition. The idea that poetry must be carefully polished also reflects the aristocratic environment of the troubadours, where refined language and artistic skill were highly valued.
Author:
The poem was written by Arnaut Daniel, a 12th-century poet from the region of Provence in what is now southern France. He was famous for his extraordinary technical mastery of language and rhyme. Later poets admired him deeply; Dante Alighieri called him the greatest craftsman of vernacular poetry. Arnaut belonged to the troubadour tradition, where poets composed songs for noble courts, usually centered on themes of love, longing, and emotional refinement. His poems were likely performed aloud or sung, accompanied by music.
Modern connection:
The passage reflects something still familiar today: creativity often begins with inspiration from the natural world or from emotional experience. Artists, writers, and musicians still describe how an external stimulus — a season, a landscape, or a moment of beauty — prompts the urge to create. The poet’s insistence on polishing his words also mirrors modern ideas about craftsmanship in art, where inspiration alone is not enough; the work must be shaped and refined through effort.
Deeper significance:
At a deeper level, the passage reveals the troubadours’ distinctive understanding of love. Love is not merely a pleasant emotion but a discipline and a path. The poet speaks of the “art of Love,” implying that loving well requires learning, practice, and self-control, much like poetry itself. Even when love is difficult or unreturned, the lover continues pursuing it.
Early troubadour poetry often portrayed love primarily as desire inspired by beauty. Over time, however, the tradition gradually shifted toward a deeper concept: love as a transformative force shaping the character of the lover. The lover becomes more refined, more patient, and more attentive because of devotion to the beloved.
Thus the evolution of troubadour thought moved roughly from this → to this:
• from love as attraction and admiration for a beautiful lady
• to love as a moral and spiritual discipline that refines the lover’s character
In this opening section we already see that transition beginning. The poet is not simply celebrating the lady’s beauty; he is describing his commitment to the path of love, even when it humiliates him or keeps him at a distance. Love’s pride, its refusal to yield easily, becomes the very force that deepens the lover’s devotion.
Lines 19-36
19. Re no val orguelh d'amador
A lover’s pride is worth nothing,
20. qu'ades trabuca son senhor
for it soon casts its master
21. del luec aussor
from the highest place
22. bas el terralh
down to the ground,
23. per tal trebalh
with such torment
24. que de joi lo despuelha:
that it strips him of joy;
25. dreitz es lacrim
rightly he weeps
26. e ard'e rim
and burns and cries
27. se quel d'amor janguelha.
if Love mocks him.
28. Bona dona vas cui azor,
Good lady toward whom I incline,
29. ges per erguelh no vau allor,
not from pride do I turn away,
30. mas per paor
but from fear
31. del devinalh
of the curious watchers
32. don jois trassalh
by whom joy is shaken;
33. fauc semblan que no'us vuelha,
I pretend that I do not want you,
34. qu'anc no'ns jauzim
for never did we delight
35. de lur noirim:
in their nurture;
36. mal m'es que lor o cuelha.
it pains me to gather it for them.
Paraphrase:
The poet explains that pride is a dangerous quality for a lover. If a lover becomes proud or arrogant, that pride soon throws him down from whatever high position he holds. What once raised him up now causes him to fall. Love can humble a person quickly, bringing him down from the heights to the ground.
When this happens, the lover suffers deeply; the pain strips away his joy. In such a situation it is natural for him to weep. He burns inwardly with emotional suffering and cries out, especially when Love itself seems to mock him or toy with his feelings.
Turning to the lady he loves, the poet addresses her directly. He tells her that if he sometimes seems distant or avoids approaching her openly, it is not because he is proud. Rather, he keeps his distance out of caution. There are people watching — curious observers who speculate about lovers and spread gossip.
These watchers disturb and threaten the fragile joy of love. Because of them, he pretends that he does not desire her. He must act as if he has no feelings for her at all. He explains that he and the lady have never found happiness in pleasing such people or living according to their expectations. Their love does not belong to those observers. It troubles him deeply to think that these outsiders might gain satisfaction by discovering or discussing their relationship.
Glossary
• orguelh / erguelh – Pride, arrogance, or haughty self-confidence.
• trabuca – To topple, throw down, or overturn.
• luec aussor – A high place or elevated position.
• terralh – The ground or earth.
• trebalh – Trouble, hardship, or torment.
• despuelha – Strips away or removes.
• lacrim – Tears or weeping.
• janguelha – To mock, tease, or toy with someone.
• azor – I turn toward or incline toward.
• devinalh – Curious onlookers, gossipers, or those who speculate about others.
• trassalh – Disturbs, shakes, or unsettles.
• semblan – Appearance or pretense.
• no’us vuelha – That I do not desire you.
• noirim – Nourishment, approval, or encouragement.
• cuellha – To gather, collect, or take satisfaction from something.
Historical note:
Troubadour poetry often reflects the social reality of medieval aristocratic courts. Love affairs were frequently secret because the lady addressed in the poem was often married to another nobleman. Public knowledge of such devotion could lead to scandal, political conflict, or personal danger. Therefore troubadour lovers often emphasized discretion (mezura) — the ability to conceal love from gossipers. The poet’s fear of “watchers” reflects the courtly environment, where servants, rivals, and courtiers constantly observed and reported on one another.
Author:
These lines continue the work of Arnaut Daniel, whose poetry is known for emotional subtlety and technical brilliance. Unlike some troubadours who emphasized dramatic longing alone, Arnaut often explores the psychology of the lover — pride, humiliation, secrecy, and inner conflict. His poems show how love operates within the complicated social world of medieval courts. Later poets such as Dante Alighieri admired him precisely because he combined emotional depth with remarkable craftsmanship in language.
Modern connection:
The tension described here still exists today. Romantic relationships often develop under social pressure — friends, family, public opinion, or digital observation through social media. People sometimes hide or minimize their feelings in order to avoid judgment or misunderstanding. The poet’s fear of “watchers” resembles modern concerns about privacy, gossip, and public scrutiny in relationships.
Deeper significance:
These lines deepen the troubadour idea that love requires humility. Pride destroys the lover because love places the lover in a vulnerable position. One must accept emotional risk and even humiliation. The fall “from the high place to the ground” symbolizes how love strips away ego and self-importance.
The second stanza introduces another important element of troubadour love: secrecy. True love must sometimes remain hidden to protect its sincerity from the corruption of public judgment.
Over the development of troubadour poetry, the meaning of love gradually shifted in emphasis:
• early stage: love as admiration for beauty and romantic desire
• middle stage: love as a discipline that humbles and refines the lover
• later stage: love as an inward, almost spiritual bond that must be protected from the world
In this passage we see the middle and later ideas emerging together. Pride must be destroyed, and the relationship must remain inward and guarded. Love becomes something private, transforming, and morally demanding, not merely an external courtly performance.
Lines 37-58
37. Si ben vauc per tot ab esdalh,
Though I go everywhere in distraction,
38. mos pessamens lai vos assalh,
my thought there assails you,
39. qu'ieu chan e valh
for I sing and have worth
40. pel joi que'ns fim
through the joy we shared
41. lai o'ns partim,
there where we parted,
42. don soven l'uelh me muelha
and often my eye grows wet
43. d'ir e de plor
with grief and tears
44. e de dussour,
and with sweetness,
45. car pro ai d'Amor que'm duelha.
for I have enough from Love to make me suffer.
46. Ar ai fam d'amor don badalh
Now I have a hunger for love that makes me sigh,
47. e non sec mezura ni talh;
and I follow neither measure nor rule;
48. sols m'o engualh
only this consoles me,
49. qu'anc non auzim
that never was heard,
50. del temps Caim
since the time of Cain,
51. amador mens acuelha
a lover who received less
52. cor trichador
a treacherous
53. ni bauzador;
or deceitful heart;
54. per que mos jois capduelha.
therefore my joy reaches its summit.
55. Dona qui qu'es destuelha,
Lady, whoever may oppose it,
56. Arnautz dreg cor
Arnaut runs straight
57. lai o'es honor
to where honor lies,
58. quar vostre pretz capduelha.
for your worth raises it to the highest point.
Paraphrase:
The poet says that although he may wander about appearing distracted or absent-minded, his thoughts constantly return to the lady he loves. Even when he is physically elsewhere, inwardly he is always directed toward her. He sings and composes poetry because of the joy they once shared together at the place where they parted.
That memory remains vivid. When he recalls it, his eyes often fill with tears. These tears come from mixed emotions: sorrow for their separation, grief from longing, and yet also sweetness because the memory of love itself remains beautiful. Love therefore produces both pain and delight within him. He admits that he has received enough suffering from Love to wound him deeply.
Now he confesses that he has developed an intense hunger for love, a longing so strong that it causes him to sigh and ache. His desire no longer follows moderation or careful restraint; he admits that he has gone beyond the measured discipline that courtly love often requires.
Yet there is one thought that consoles him. He believes that no lover since the earliest times — “since the time of Cain,” meaning since the beginning of human history — has received less reward for devotion than he has.
In other words, he considers himself exceptionally unlucky in love. Still, this very extremity becomes a strange source of pride: because he has endured the greatest deprivation, his experience of love reaches its highest intensity.
Finally, in the short concluding stanza (the tornada), he addresses the lady again. Even if others oppose him or try to prevent his devotion, Arnaut declares that he will go straight toward the place where true honor lies. That place is his service to her. Her worth and excellence elevate everything connected with her, including his love and his poetry. Because of her value, his devotion rises to its highest point.
Glossary
• esdalh – Distraction, wandering attention, or absent-mindedness.
• pessamens – Thoughts, reflections, or inward meditations.
• assalh – To attack, strike, or press upon strongly.
• joi – Joy, delight, or emotional fulfillment.
• l’uelh me muelha – “My eye grows wet,” meaning tears form.
• ir – Grief, sorrow, or emotional distress.
• dussour – Sweetness, gentle pleasure, or tender feeling.
• duelha – To wound, pain, or cause suffering.
• fam d’amor – Hunger or intense craving for love.
• mezura – Moderation, restraint, or disciplined behavior (a key courtly virtue).
• talh – Measure, rule, or limit.
• engualh – Consoles or comforts.
• del temps Caim – “Since the time of Cain,” meaning since the earliest days of humanity.
• trichador – Treacherous or deceitful person.
• bauzador – Trickster, deceiver, or someone who cheats.
• capduelha – Reaches the highest point or culmination.
• destuelha – Oppose, hinder, or interfere.
• pretz – Worth, excellence, noble value.
Historical note:
The reference to “the time of Cain” draws on biblical tradition familiar to medieval audiences. Cain, from the Book of Genesis, symbolized the earliest generation of humanity after Adam and Eve. By invoking this moment, the poet exaggerates his claim humorously: he suggests that no lover in all of recorded human experience has been treated worse by love than he has.
Hyperbole like this was common in troubadour poetry, allowing poets to dramatize the intensity of longing and suffering. The tornada — the short concluding stanza — was also a typical structural feature of troubadour songs, often addressing the lady directly or sending the poem toward its destination.
Author:
These final lines belong to Arnaut Daniel, one of the most technically inventive poets of the medieval Occitan tradition. He flourished in the late 12th century in southern France. Arnaut became famous not only for emotional subtlety but also for intricate poetic structures and rhyme patterns. Later writers admired him greatly; Dante Alighieri praised him in the Divine Comedy as the finest craftsman of vernacular lyric poetry. His works helped shape the ideals of courtly love that later spread into Italian, French, and eventually European literature.
Modern connection:
The poem captures a psychological truth that remains familiar today: love often contains contradictory emotions at once. People can experience longing, nostalgia, pain, gratitude, and sweetness simultaneously when remembering a relationship. Modern psychology recognizes that powerful emotional memories can create exactly this mixture of sorrow and affection. The poet’s description of tears that are both painful and sweet mirrors the complex emotional texture many people feel when recalling meaningful relationships.
Deeper significance:
In these final stanzas the troubadour idea of love reaches its fullest expression. Love is portrayed not simply as happiness but as an experience that deepens the inner life. The lover suffers, remembers, hopes, and remains faithful even when reward is absent. Paradoxically, the suffering itself becomes proof of the depth of love.
The reference to losing “measure” (mezura) is especially important. In early troubadour ideals, the perfect lover maintained discipline, restraint, and social elegance. Yet by the end of the poem the poet admits that love has overwhelmed that careful balance. Passion has grown stronger than the rules meant to control it.
Across the history of troubadour poetry, the understanding of love gradually evolved in stages:
• early phase: love as admiration for beauty and courtly attraction
• middle phase: love as a refining discipline that humbles and ennobles the lover
• later phase: love as an inward, almost existential devotion that may include suffering and emotional intensity beyond social rules
Arnaut Daniel stands near the moment where the tradition begins moving toward this deeper conception. Love is no longer merely a game of elegant courtship. It becomes a total orientation of the self — shaping memory, identity, honor, and artistic creation.
Thus the poem ends with a profound idea: the lover’s devotion becomes honorable not because it is rewarded, but because the beloved’s worth makes the devotion itself meaningful. Love raises the lover’s inner life to its highest point, even if the outer world never grants fulfillment