Why Have You Sold Me, Youth, Poem by Charles D'Orléans

Poem by Charles D'Orléans Collection BalladsPeriod 15th century

Why have you sold me, Youth,
At a great market, as if for nothing,
Into the hands of my lady Old Age
Who does me scarcely any good?
She holds me little esteemed,
But I must endure her,
Since it is the course of nature.

Her hostel is hung with black
Of sadness. When I come inside,
There I see the story of Distress
Which makes me change my bearing,
When I read it and endure many a woe:
No creature is spared,
Since it is the course of nature.

Accepting this harshness willingly,
I compare another’s ill to mine.
Then Lady Wisdom chides me;
Thereupon I come back to myself
And believe all her counsel,
Which is full of righteousness,
Since it is the course of nature.

ENVOI

Prince, I could not say how much
Ill I keep within my heart,
Girt with an old belt,
Since it is the course of nature.

Charles D’Orléans

Translation generated by Poésies 123 with assistance from the deepseek-chat artificial-intelligence model.

Text published on Poésies 123: https://www.poesies123.com/en/poem-why-have-you-sold-me-youth-charles-d-orleans/