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Friday, March 18, 2011

Archpoet, Songs (Carmina)

Archipoeta [Archpoet]
1130-1165
Trans RMBullard
Latin (Medieval Era)





I     II     III     IV     V     VI     VII     VIII     IX     X


I


lingua balbus, hebes ingenio,
viris doctis sermonem facio.
sed quod loquor, qui loqui nescio,
necessitas est, non praesumptio.
1 [Although a stutterer in my speech, sluggish with my mind, I will now make a speech to educated men. But whatever I say--I who don't know how to speak-- will be out of necessity, and not presumption.]


nulli vestrum reor ambiguum          5
viris bonis hoc esse congruum,
ut subportet magnus exiguum,
aegrum sanus et prudens fatuum.
2 [I suppose that this type of mix-up--me being a nobody-- will be agreeable to good men, just as a great man encourages an unimportant one, and a healthy man, a sick one; and a wise man, a foolish one.]


ne sim reus et dignus odio,
si lucernam ponam sub modio,          10
quod de rebus humanis sentio,
pia loqui iubet intentio.
3 [In order that I not become a culprit, somebody worthy of disgust, if I can place my lantern under the bushel, whatever opinion I have about the affairs of men, it's my intention to speak with a measure of piety.]


brevem vero sermonem facio,
ne vos gravet longa narratio,
ne dormitet lector prae taedio          15
et «tu autem» dicat in medio.
4 [In truth, I will make my speech brief, so that a long narration will not bore you all, and that the reader will not lull off to sleep out of boredom, and will say "Oh, you..." in the middle of the speech.]


ad aeternam beatitudinem
lapsum deus revocans hominem
verbum suum, suam imaginem
misit ad nos per matrem virginem.          20
5 [God, calling back a man who has fallen upon his eternal blessing, now sends his word and his appearance to us through his virgin mother.]


est unita deitas homini,
[There is a single divineness to the fellow,]

servo suo persona domini,
[a person with his own servant, to the Lord,]

morti vita, splendor caligini,
miseria beatitudini.
[life belongs to death, splendor to darkness, misery to bliss.]


scimus ista potentialiter          25
[from the power know I these types of things,]

magis facta quam naturaliter,
[more created than appearing naturally,]

scrutantibus spiritualiter
scire licet quare, non qualiter.
[surely those who search spirtitually know indeed, but not exactly how.]

arte mira, miro consilio
[by wondrous craft, by wondrous design,]

quaerens ovem bonus opilio          30
[the good shepherd seeking his flock]

vagantibus in hoc exilio
locutus est nobis in filio.
[spoke to us, in the form of His son, while we wandered in this exile.]

sanctum suae mentis consilium
patefecit mundo per filium,
[through his son did He reveal to the world the sacred design of his Mind,]

ut reiecto cultu sculptilium          35
deum nosset error gentilium.

[so that the sin of the Gentiles can recognize God and reject the worship of their idols.]

poetarum seductos fabulis
veritatis instruxit regulis,
[He taught men seduced by the fables of poets in the rules of Truth]

signis multis atque miraculis
fidem veram dedit incredulis.
[and he gave a true sense of faith to non-believers, though his numerous signs and miracles.]
          40



obmutescant humana somnia,
[The dreams of man grew silent]

nil occultum, iam patent omnia;
[nothing is hidden, all things are already revealed.]


revelavit fata latentia
non sapiens, sed sapientia.
[A wise man does not reveal the hidden fates, but rather wisdom does.]

conticescat falsa temeritas,          45
[Let false boldness be completely silent,]

ubi palam loquitur veritas;
[when truth speaks openly;]