--James W. Marchand, German Department and Center for Advanced Studies, University of Illinois-Urbana
¶This is the original Old Spanish version of the first few stanzas of the prologue you are reading in modern Spanish translation. The good news is that there is also an English translation. You may also consult a glossary of specialized words found in the assigned readings from Berceo's "Milagros."
1. Amigos e vasallos de Dios omnipotent, Si vos me escuchassedes por vuestro consiment, Querriavos contar un buen aveniment: Terrédeslo en cabo por bueno verament. 1. Friends and vasalls of Almighty God, If you would hear me, by your kindness, I would like to recount to you a good happening: In the end you will consider it to be truly good. 2. Yo, Maestro Gonzalvo de Berceo nomnado, Iendo en romeria, caeci en un prado Verde e bien sencido, de flores bien poblado, Logar cobdiciaduero pora ome cansado. 2. I, Master Gonzalvo de Berceo by name, Going on a pilgrimage, happened upon a meadow, Green and quite uncultivated, well endowed with flowers; A pleasant place for a tired man. 3. Daban olor sobeio las flores bien olientes, Refrescaban en ome las caras o las mientes, Manaban cada canto fuentes claras corrientes, En verano bien frias, en yvierno calientes. 3. The sweet smelling flowers gave forth a splendid odor; They refreshed a man's face and his mind; From each corner flowed clear running fountains, Cold in the springtime, warm in winter. 4. Avie hy grand abondo de buenas arboledas, Milgranos e figueras, peros e mazanedas, E muchas otras fructas de diversas monedas; Mas non avie ningunas podridas nin acedas. 4. There was here a great abundance of good trees: Pomegranates and figs, pears and apples, And many other fruit trees of various kinds, But there were none rotten or sour. 5. La verdura del prado, la olor de las flores, Las sombras de los arbores de temprados sabores Refrescaronme todo, e perdi los sudores: Podrie vevir el ome con aquellos olores. 5. The green of the meadow, the odor of the flowers, The shadows of the trees of gentle savors, Refreshed me totally, and I lost my sweatiness; One could live on those odors. 6. Nunqua trobé en sieglo logar tan deleitoso, Nin sombra tan temprada, nin olor tan sabroso, Descargué mi ropiella por iacer mas vicioso, Poseme a la sombra de un arbor fermoso. 6. Never in the world have I found a place so delightful, Nor such a pleasant shade, nor odor so savorous; I took off my robe to lie down more comfortably; I placed myself in the shade of a beautiful tree. 7. Yaciendo a la sombra perdi todos cuidados, Odi sonos de aves dulces e modulados: Nunqua udieron omes organos mas temprados, Nin que formar pudiessen sones mas acordados. 7. Lying in the shade I lost all cares; I heard sweet and modulated sounds of birds; Never have people heard organa more pleasant, Nor been able to form sounds more harmonious. 8. Unas tenien la quinta, e otras doblaban, Otras tenien el punto, errar no las dexaban, Al posar, al mover todas se esperaban, Aves torpes nin roncas hi non se acostaban. 8. Some held the fifth and others the octave; Others kept the tenor, did not permit them to stray; They all kept the time of resting and of moving; Thers were no bad or evil birds found here. 9. Non serie organista nin serie violero, Nin giga nin salterio, nin mano de rotero, Nin estrument nin lengua, nin tan claro vocero, Cuyo canto valiesse con esto un dinero. 9. There is no organist nor is there a violinist, Nor a fiddle nor a psaltery, nor the hand of a harpist, Nor an instrument, nor a tongue, nor a singer of such clear voice, Whose song compared to this might be worth a farthing. 10. Peroque vos dissiemos todas estas bondades, Non contamos las diezmas, esto bien lo creades: Que avie de noblezas tantas diversidades, Que no las contarien priores nin abbades. 10. Although we have told you all of these good qualities, We are not telling a tenth, you may well believe this: That it had so many diversities in noble features That neither priors nor abbots could recount them. 11. El prado que vos digo avie otra bondat: Por calor nin por frio non perdie su beltat, Siempre estaba verde en su entegredat, Non perdie la verdura por nulla tempestat. 11. The meadow that I told you about had another good feature: Through heat nor through cold it never lost its beauty; It was always green in its integrity; It never lost its green through any storm. 12. Man a mano que fuy en tierra acostado, De todo el lacerio fui luego folgado: Oblideé toda cuita, el lacerio passado: Qui alli se morasse serie bien venturado. 12. Little by little as I was lying on the earth I was then rested from all my travail; I forgot all care, the travail passed; Anyone who remained there would be indeed blessed. 13. Los omes e las aves quantas acaecien, Levaban de las flores quantas levar querien; Mas mengua en el prado ninguna non facien: Por una que levaban, tres e quatro nacien. 13. The men and the birds who came there Picked of the flowers as many as they wished to pick, But they caused no lack at all in the meadow: For one that they picked, three and four arose. 14. Semeia esti prado egual de paraiso, En qui Dios tan grand gracia, tan grand bendicion miso: El que crió tal cosa, maestro fue anviso: Ome que hi morasse, nunqua perdrie el viso. 14. This meadow seemed equal to paradise, Into which God put such great grace, such great blessing; He was a wise master Who created such a thing;, A man who remained there would never lose his sight. 15. El fructo de los arbores era dulz e sabrido, Si Don Adam oviesse de tal fructo comido, De tan mala manera non serie decibido, Nin tomarien tal daño Eva ni so marido. 15. The fruit of the trees was sweet and savory; If Sir Adam had eaten of such a fruit, He would not have been deceived in such a bad manner, Nor would Eva nor her husband have received such damage. 16. Sennores e amigos, lo que dicho avemos Palabra es oscura, esponerla queremos: Tolgamos la corteza, al meollo entremos, Prendamos lo de dentro, lo de fuera dessemos. 16. Sirs and friends, that which we have said Is a story with a hidden meaning; we would like to expose it: Let us take off the bark, let us enter the marrow, Let us take that which is inside, let us leave the outside.