xy

En ceste foy je vueil vivre et mourir.
Source: Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461), Line 882; "Ballade pour Prier Nostre Dame (Ballade as a Prayer to Our Lady)".

“There has been no greater artist in French verse, as there has been no greater poet; and the main part of the history of poetry in France is the record of a long forgetting of all that Villon found out for himself.”

Francois Villon (1431–1463) Mediæval French poet

Arthur Symons Figures of Several Centuries (London: Constable, 1916) p. 40.
Criticism

“Prince, give the prize for chatter
To Parisian women; whatever
May be said about Italians,
There is no tongue like one from Paris.”

Francois Villon book Le Testament

Prince, aux dames Parisiennes
De beau parler donnez le pris;
Quoy qu'on die d'Italiennes,
Il n'est bon bec que de Paris.
Source: Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461), Line 1539; "Ballade des Femmes de Paris (Ballade of the Women of Paris)".

“But whatever may be said about the life of work,
There is no treasure quite like living at one's ease.”

Francois Villon book Le Testament

Mais, quoy que soit du laboureux mestier,
Il n'est tresor que de vivre a son aise.
Source: Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461), Line 1501; "Ballade: Les Contrediz de Franc Gontier (Ballade: Franc Gontier Refuted)".

“It's true that I have loved,
And gladly would again;
But sad heart, and famished belly
Not even partly satisfied
Force me away from paths of love.
And so, let someone else take over
Who has tucked away more food –
Dancing is for men of nobler girth.”

Francois Villon book Le Testament

Bien est verté que j'ay amé
Et ameroie voulentiers;
Mais triste cuer, ventre affamé
Qui n'est rassasié au tiers
M'oste des amoureux sentiers.
Au fort, quelqu'ung s'en recompence,
Qui est ramply sur les chantiers!
Car la dance vient de la pance.
Source: Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461), Line 193.

“Prince, I know all, in short,
I know pink cheeks from wan,
I know Death all-devouring,
I know all, save myself.”

Francois Villon Ballade des Menus Propos

Prince, je congnois tout en somme,
Je congnois coulourez et blesmes,
Je congnois Mort qui tout consomme,
Je congnois tout, fors que moy mesmes.
"Ballade des Menus Propos (Ballade of Small Talk)", line 25. (1458).

“Brother men who after us live on,
Harden not your hearts against us.”

Francois Villon (1431–1463) Mediæval French poet

Freres humains qui après nous vivez,
N'avez les cuers contre nous endurcis.
"L'Epitaphe Villon (Villon's Epitaph)", or "Ballade des Pendus (Ballade of the Hanged)", line 1. (1463).

“But where is last year's snow? This was the greatest care that Villon, the Parisian poet, took.”

Francois Villon (1431–1463) Mediæval French poet

François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel, Chapter xiv.
Criticism

“But where are the snows of bygone years?”

Francois Villon book Le Testament

Mais ou sont les neiges d'antan?
Alternative translation: But where are the snows of yesteryear?
Source: Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461), Line 336; "Ballade des Dames du Temps Jadis (Ballade of the Ladies of Bygone Times)".

“Through wind, hail or frost my living's made.
I am a lecher, and she's a lecher with me.
Which one of us is better? We're both alike:
The one as worthy as the other. Bad rat, bad cat.
We both love filth, and filth pursues us;
We flee from honor, honor flees from us,
In this brothel where we ply our trade.”

Francois Villon book Le Testament

Vente, gresle, gelle, j'ay mon pain cuit.
Ie suis paillart, la paillarde me suit.
Lequel vault mieulx? Chascun bien s'entresuit.
L'ung vault l'autre; c'est a mau rat mau chat.
Ordure amons, ordure nous assuit;
Nous deffuyons onneur, il nous deffuit,
En ce bordeau ou tenons nostre estat.
Source: Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461), Line 1621; "Ballade de la Grosse Margot (Ballade for Fat Margot)".

“We were two, but only had one heart.”

Francois Villon book Le Testament

Deux estions et n’avions qu'ung cuer.
Alternative translation: We were two and had but one heart between us.
Source: Le Grand Testament (The Great Testament) (1461), Line 986; "Lay".