Hartmann von Aue: Iwein (B)

wile dû danne niht verzagen.

If you then will not lose heart,

sô ne tuo dem becke niht mêr.

do nothing more with the basin:

giuz ûf den stein der dâ stê.

pour onto the stone that stands there

dâ mit des brunnen ein teil.

some of the spring with it.

dazistwâr sô hâsdû guot heil.

Truly, then you will have good luck

gescheidestdû mit êren dannen.

if you come away from there with honour.

hin wîste mich der waltman.

The wild man directed me there

einen stîc zeder winstern hant.

along a path to the left hand.

ich vuor des endes unde vant.

I went that way and found

der rede eine wârheit.

the truth of what he had said,

als er mir hête geseit.

just as he had told me.

ich vant dâ grôz êre.

I found great splendour there.

man gehoeret niemer mêre.

One will never more hear,

diu werlt stê kurz ode lanc.

whether the world stands short or long,

sô wünniclîchen vogelsanc.

such delightful birdsong

als ich ze der linden vernam.

as I heard at the linden

dô ich dârzuo geriten quam.

when I came riding up to it.

der ie gewesen wære.

Anyone who had ever been

ein tôtriuwesære.

a man sorrowing unto death,

des herze wære dâ gevröuwet.

his heart would have been gladdened there.

si was mit vogeln beströuwet.

It was so strewn with birds

daz ich der este schîn verlôs.

that I lost sight of the branches

unde ouch des loubes lützel kôs.

and saw little of the leaves either.

derne wâren zwêne niender gelîch.

No two of them were in any way alike;

ire gesanc was als mislich.

their song was just as varied,

hôch unde nider.

high and low.

die stimme gap in wider.

Their voices were given back to them

mit gelîchem galme der walt.

with an equal echo by the forest.

wie dâ sanc gesange galt.

How song answered song there!

den brunnen ich dârunder sach.

I saw the spring beneath it,

unde swes mir der waltman verjach.

and all that the wild man had told me of.

ein smareides was der stein.

The stone was an emerald;

ûz iegelîchem orte schein.

from every corner shone

ein als gelfer rubîn.

a ruby so bright

der morgensterne mohte sîn.

the morning star could not be

niht schoener swenneer ûf gât.

more beautiful when it rises

unde in des luftes trüebe lât.

and the haze of the air lets it through.

dô ich daz becke hangente vant.

When I found the basin hanging,

dô gedâhte ich des zehant.

I thought at once:

sît ich nâch âventiure reit.

since I was riding in search of adventure,

ez wære ein unmanheit.

it would be unmanly

ob ich dô daz verbære.

if I then refrained

ichne versuochte waz ez wære.

from testing what it was.

unde riet mir mîn unwîser muot.

And my unwise mind advised me,

der mir vile ofte schaden tuot.

which very often does me harm,

daz ich gôz ûf den stein.

to pour onto the stone.

dô erlasch diu sunne diu êr schein.

Then the sun that had been shining went out,

unde zergie daz vogelsanc.

and the birdsong ceased,

als ez ein swærez weter twanc.

as a heavy storm forced it.

diu wolken begunden.

The clouds began

in den selben stunten.

in that same moment

in vier enden ûf gân.

to rise in the four quarters;

der liehte tac wart getân.

the bright day was made such

daz ich die linden kûme gesach.

that I could scarcely see the linden.

grôz ungenâde hier geschach.

Great misfortune happened here.

vile schiere dô gesach ich.

Very soon I saw

in allen enden umbe mich.

on all sides around me

wole tûsent tûsent blicke.

a good thousand thousand flashes of lightning;

dârnâch sluoc als dicke.

after them struck just as often

ein als kreftiger donerslac.

a thunderclap so mighty

daz ich ûf der erde gelac.

that I lay on the ground.

sich huop ein hagel unde ein regen.

A hail and a rain arose;

wan daz mich der gotes segen.

had not God's blessing

vriste von des weters nôt.

preserved me from the peril of the storm,

ich wære der wîle dicke tôt.

I would have been dead many times over in that while.

daz weter wart als ungemach.

The storm became so violent

daz ez den walt nider brach.

that it broke down the forest.