Paní a rytíř

Pokud jste fanoušky kanadské hudebnice Loreeny McKennitt, možná budete tento text znát z písně The English Ladye And The Knight v původní anglické verzi. Jedná se o část veršů z poetické knihy The Lay of the Last Minstrel od Sira Waltera Scotta, která vyšla roku 1836 v českém překladu od Josefa Františka Hollmanna pod názvem Píseň posledního skotského Barda. Nějakou dobu jsem se trápil překladem, až jsem nakonec sáhl po původní verzi v 200 let staré češtině, která má určitě své kouzlo. Upravil jsem několik slov, aby verše pasovaly na původní melodii a brzy ji uslyšíte v podání Barbaruny.

The English Ladye And The Knight

It was an English ladye bright,
The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,
And she would marry a Scottish knight,
For Love will still be lord of all.

Blithely they saw the rising sun
When he shone fair on Carlisle wall;
But they were sad ere day was done,
Though Love was still the lord of all.

Her sire gave brooch and jewel fine,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall;
Her brother gave but a flask of wine,
For ire that Love was lord of all.

For she had lands both meadow and lea,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,
For he swore her death, ere he would see
A Scottish knight the lord of all.

That wine she had not tasted well
(The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall)
When dead, in her true love’s arms, she fell,
For Love was still the lord of all!

He pierced her brother to the heart,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall –
So perish all would true love part That
Love may still be lord of all!

And then he took the cross divine,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,
And died for her sake in Palestine;
So Love was still the lord of all.

Now all ye lovers, that faithful prove,
(The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall)
Pray for their souls who died for love,
For Love shall still be lord of all!