"Troilus's Song" (a translation of Petrarch's "S'amor non è")

 

If no love is, O God, what feele I so?
And if love is, what thing and which is he?
If love be good, from whennes commeth my wo?
If it be wikke, a wonder thinketh me,
What every torment and adversitee
That cometh of him may to me savory thinke,
For ay thurste I, the more that ich drinke.

And if that at myn owene lust I breene,
From whennes cometh my wailing and my plainte?
If harm agree me, wherto plaine I thenne?
I noot, ne why unwary that I fainte.
O quikke deeth, O sweete harm so quainte,
How may of thee in me swich quantitee,
But if that I consente that it be?

And if that I consente, I wrongfully
Complaine; ywis, thus possed to and fro
All stereless within a boot am I
Amidde the see, bitwixen windes two,
That in contrarye stonden everemo.
Allas, what is this wonder maladye?
For hoot of colde, for cold of hoot I die. 		      
  
  
  
  
pleasant seem
always; I

burn
  
pleases; complain
don't know, nor; unweary
living; strange
may [there be]
Except

  
indeed/truly; tossed
rudderless; boat
  
  
  
hot; heat