Minnesongs

Still Sleeping, Handsome Knight

by Dietmar von Aist

‘Still sleeping, handsome knight?

Awake! Awake! Take flight!

A bird in all its finery

warns us from the linden tree.

‘I slept gently in your arm,

and now, sweetheart, you give the alarm;

but love must have its sorrow too,

what you command I’ll quickly do.’

The lady then began to moan,

‘You ride and leave me alone.

When will you ever return to me?

With you my joys and pleasures flee.’

Love has Commanded that I Should Sing

by Rudolf II

Love has commanded that I should sing,

and forbids me ever to complain,

though she no comfort nor hope may bring

that my song its fitting reward should gain.

She wishes that I should give my love away

where my devotion no heart can sway

and where faithfulness offers little as pay.

I strive to leave her service, but in vain.

This is my lot, that I cannot permit

my heart forever to renounce its claim.

It is my sorrow, that I’ve not the wit

to give up serving one who hates my name.

I’ll cherish her still, whatever may befall,

loyalty keeps me always in thrall,

and in spite of the fact that its wages are small.

Though she is vexed, I’ll love her just the same.

Untitled

By Heinrich von Morungen

It has gone with me as with a child

that saw its beautiful image in a mirror

and reached for its own reflection so

often till it broke the mirror to pieces;

then its contentment turned into a great unrest.

So I, once, thought I would live in continual joy

when I set my eyes on my beloved lady,

through whom, beside some pleasure, I have felt much pain.

Minne, who increases men’s joy -- look,

there, she brought me a lady by way of a dream,

where my body was turned toward sleep,

lost in the vision of its great contentment.

Then I gazed on all her nobleness, her shining image,

beautiful, exalted among women. Only,

it was just that there was some damage

to her small red mouth, that always laughed.

It frightened me

to see her small mouth pale, that was so red.

Now for this I have raised up new laments:

my heart stood ready for the grief it knew,

and I found this terror with my eyes --

like that child without experience

who found his own reflection in a spring

and had to love it till he died.

Heaven itself cannot contain

women higher in virtue and mind

than this good lady. I have been brought down,

I must stay far away and cleave to her forever.

O sorrow, how for a moment it could seem

I had reached and won her joyful, noble love.

Now here I stand, just starting out,

my contentment is gone, and my soaring dream.

Under the Linden Tree

by Walther von der Vogelweide

Under the linden tree

on the open field,

where we two had our bed,

you still can see

lovely broken

flowers and grass.

On the edge of the woods in a vale,

tandaradei,

sweetly sang the nightingale.

I came walking

to the meadow, my love already there.

And he received me,

Blessed Lady,

that the joy of that will last.

Did he kiss me then? A thousand times, at least,

tandaradei,

look now, how my mouth is red.

Then he made

a lordly

place to lie in, all of flowers.

There’s a good laugh there

even now

for anyone coming that way:

he could tell, by the roses,

tandaradei,

just where my head lay.

If anyone found out,

God forbid, he lay by me,

I’d be ashamed.

What he did with me there

may no one ever

know, except for him and me

and one little bird,

tandaradei,

which will not say a word.


I Sat Upon a Stone

by Walther von der Vogelweide

I sat upon a stone,

leg over leg was thrown,

upon my knee an elbow rested

and in my open hand was nested

my chin and half my cheek.

My thoughts were dark and bleak:

I wondered how a man should live,

to this no answer could I give.

Could man three things enjoy

and none the rest destroy?

The two are worldly wealth and fame,

which often bring each other shame;

the third is Heaven’s grace,

which takes the highest place.

I wish that I might have all three,

but it, alas, can never be

that one man’s heart should hold

both worldly fame and gold

and aught of Heaven’s favor, too.

No road will let them through

where treason would betray you

and naked force would slay you.

Peace and right are wounded sore;

the three have no protection till

the two are well and strong once more.

I Raised Myself a Falcon

by the Knight of Kürenberg

I raised myself a falcon, longer than a year.

I tamed and made him gentle, as I would have him be,

and wove among his feathers, slender golden strands,

he mounted up toward heaven, and flew to other lands.

I later saw the falcon, flying swift and strong,

and fastened to his talons, he wore a silken thong,

his wings and coat of feathers, gleamed with red and gold.

May God bring those together, who gladly would their lovers hold.