"shynyng bryghtely as the sone"
Shynyng bryghtely as the sone
Is my loues smyle beauteous.
I hope to se hir face alone,
That face which is most corteous.
Whan al the worlde is in dark nyghte
And its cape on me doune doth reste,
She casteth off it with hir lyghte
And euerie herte fyndeth its reste.
I hope hir to se, euerie daye,
And praye to haue hir swete loue stille.
But she wendeth a noble waye,
So afer moste she rayse my wille.
translation:
Shining as brightly as the son
Is my love's beautiful smile.
My only hope is to see her face,
That most courteous of faces.
When the entire world is cloaked in night
And its mantle falls to rest on me,
She casts it aside with her light
And every heart finds rest.
I hope to see her, every day,
And pray to have always her sweet love.
But she travels along a noble way of life,
So only from afar can she lift my spirits.
explanation (razo):
This is a a Middle English translation of my Old French poem Com un rai de lumiere. I wrote this ME version for a book I printed and bound for Atlantian Twelfth Night AS XL; while I was more interested in the OF songs, I knew the book's reader base would not be - so I wanted to provide facing translations for those who might otherwise feel lost (or at least more lost than if they just read these ME poems). I did not base this on any particular lyric, but rather wanted to imitate the general style and voice of the broad 13th c. anonymous ME lyric repertoire.
