Middle-english
A good WIF was ther, OF biside BATHE,
But she was somdel deef, and that was scathe.
Of clooth-makyng she hadde swich an haunt,
She passed hem of Ypres and of Gaunt.
In al the parisshe wif ne was ther noon
That to the offrynge bifore hire sholde goon;
And if ther dide, certeyn so wrooth was she,
That she was out of alle charitee.
Hir coverchiefs ful fyne weren of ground;
I dorste swere they weyeden ten pound
That on a Sonday weren upon hir heed.
Hir hosen weren of fyn scarlet reed,
Ful streite yteyd, and shoes ful moyste and newe.
Boold was hir face, and fair, and reed of hewe.
She was a worthy womman al hir lyve:
Housbondes at chirche dore she hadde fyve,
Withouthen oother compaignye in youthe, -
But therof nedeth nat to speke as nowthe.
And thries hadde she been at Jerusalem;
She hadde passed many a straunge strem;
At Rome she hadde been, and at Boloigne,
In Galice at Seint-Jame, and at Coloigne.
She koude muchel of wandrynge by the weye.
Gat-tothed was she, soothly for to seye.
Upon an amblere esily she sat,
Ywympled wel, and on hir heed an hat
As brood as is a bokeler or a targe;
A foot-mantel aboute hir hipes large,
And on hir feet a paire of spores sharpe.
In felaweshipe wel koude she laughe and carpe.
Of remedies of love she knew per chaunce,
For she koude of that art the olde daunce.
Modern-english
There was a WIFE of BATH, or a near city,
Who was somewhat deaf, it is a pity.
At making clothes she had a skillful hand
She bettered those of Ypres and of Ghent.
In all the parish there was no wife to go
And proceed her in offering, it is so;
And if one did, indeed, so angry was she
It put her out of all her charity.
Her head-dresses were of finest weave and ground;
I dare swear that they weighed about ten pound
Which, on a Sunday, she wore on her head.
Her stockings were of the finest scarlet red,
Tightly fastened, and her shoes were soft and new.
Bold was her face, and fair, and red of hue.
She'd been respectable throughout her life,
Married in church, husbands she had five,
Not counting other company in youth;
But thereof there's no need to speak, in truth.
Three times she'd travelled to Jerusalem;
And many a foreign stream she'd had to stem;
At Rome she'd been, and she'd been in Boulogne,
In Spain at Santiago, and at Cologne.
She could tell much of wandering by the way:
Gap-toothed was she, it is the truth I say.
Upon a pacing horse easily she sat,
Wearing a large wimple, and over all a hat
As broad as is a buckler or a targe;
An overskirt was tucked around her buttocks large,
And her feet spurred sharply under that.
In company well could she laugh and chat.
The remedies of love she knew, perchance,
For of that art she'd learned the old, old dance.
Tradução de Paulo Vizioli:
Uma mulher de Bath havia em cena;
Mas era meio surda, o que era pena.
De bons tecidos era fabricante,
Chegando a superar Yprês e Gante.
Tirar-lhe alguém na igreja a precedência
No beijo da relíquia era imprudência,
Porque ela abandonava as boas maneiras
E perdia de vez as estribeiras.
Seus lenços, feitos das melhores fibras,
Por certo pesariam bem dez libras,
Que aos domingos na testa carregava.
Nas calças justas o escarlate usava,
E era novo e macio o seu calçado;
Rosto atrevido, belo e avermelhado.
Em sua vida digna. e benfazeja
Cinco vezes casara-se na igreja —
Fora os casos de sua juventude
(Falar disso, porém, seria rude).
Com três viagens a Jerusalém,
Atravessara rios mais que ninguém;
Em Roma tinha estado, e mais Boulogne;
Na Galícia, em Santiago, e então Colônia.
Vira assim muitas coisas diferentes.
Mostrava uma janela entre seus dentes.
Num cavalo equipado, usando um véu,
Cavalgava debaixo de um chapéu
Mais largo que um broquel ou que um escudo;
Sobre os amplos quadris, um sobretudo;
De esporas pontiagudas se servia.
Ria e tagarelava em companhia.
Dos remédios de amor tinha abundância,
Pois dessa arte sabia a velha dança.
(The Canterbury Tales / Os Contos da Cantuária; in A Literatura Inglesa Medieval)
(Ilustração: Anne Anderson - 1874-1930 - the wife of Bath)
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