"Seignor, Sachiez" "Sir, Be Aware" is a medieval French crusader poem composed by the Count of Champagne. Here the noble exhorts his people with a call that should strike at the heart of all men in all ages. Who will not go and fight for the cause of God? Why be like the the lazy, the bad, who stay behind, tempted by passing nothings of this world? Blind are they who do not make sacrifices for God in this life. Doomed is he who, for so such worthless trifles, forfeits his God-given chance to prove himself and attain eternal glory.
Seignor, Sachiez was composed in the 12th century by the Count Thibaut de Champagne.
It is here performed by the Modo Antiquo & Bettina Hoffmann.
Listen to Seignor, Sachiez
Lyrics:
Seignor, sachiés : qui or ne s’en ira,
En cele terre ou Dex fu mors et vis,
Et qui la crois d’Outremer ne penra,
A paines mais ira en Paradis.
Qui a en soi pitié ne ramembrance,
Au haut Seignor doit querre sa venjance,
Et delivrer sa terre et son païs.
Tuit li mauvés demorront par deça,
Qui n’aiment Dieu, bien, ne honor, ne pris.
Et chascuns dit ” Ma feme, que fera ?
Je ne lairoie a nul fuer mes amis”.
Cil sont cheoit en trop fole atendance,
Qu’il n’est amis fors de cil, sans doutance,
Qui por nos fu en la vraie crois mis.
Or s’en iront cil vaillant bacheler,
Qui aiment Dieu et l’ennor de cest mont,
Qui sagement vuelent a Dieu aler,
Et li morveux, li cendreux, demorront;
Avugle sont, de ce ne dout je mie,
Qui j secors ne fait Dieu en sa vie,
Et por si pou pert la gloire dou mont.
Diex se lessa en crois por nos pener,
Et nos dira au jor que tuit vendront :
“Vos qui ma crois m’aidastes a porter,
Vos en irez la ou mi angles sont;
La me verrez et ma mere Marie.
Et vos, par cui je n’oi onques aie,
Descendrés tuit en Enfer le parfont.”
Chacuns cuide demorer toz haitiez,
Et que ja mes ne doie mal avoir;
Ainsi les tient anemis et pechiez
Que il n’ont sen, hardement ne pooir.
Biax sire Diex, ostés leur tel pensee,
Et nos metez en la vostre contree,
Si saintement que vos puissons veoir.
Douce dame, roïne coronee,
Proiez por nos, Virge bien aüree,
Et puis aprés ne nos puet meschoir.
English translation:
Sir, be aware that those who will not travel,
To the land where God died and lived,
And will not take the Holy Cross abroad,
Will not likely get to Heaven.
He who pities himself and forgets
That the Lord on High must seek His vengeance,
To free His land and country.
All the shameless will remain behind,
They do not love God, good, honor or have pride.
Each one says: “What will happen to my wife?
I can't leave her with any of my friends",
For they joined [the Crusade] in hasty folly.
So that there is no friend, without a doubt,
For us, except for those who crusaded themselves.
Instead, the courageous bachelors will go,
They who love God are proud of His Mount [Calvary],
And wisely want to go to God.
But the coward and lazy will remain behind;
They are blind, I have no doubt,
Those who refuse to assist God during their life,
And, for so little, lose the glory of the Mount [Calvary].
God let himself be crucified for us,
And will tell us on the [Judgment] day we all will see:
“You who helped Me to carry My Cross,
You will go there where my Angels are;
There you will see Me and My Mother Mary.
But you, to whom I owe nothing,
You will go down to the depths of Hell.”
So, each one must take care to be vigilant,
To not fail to accomplish his mission,
Even if he is tempted to by enemies and sins.
This should not happen, absolutely not.
Good Lord God, prevent us from having this thought,
But bring us into Your Land,
Make us saints so that we can see You.
Sweet Lady, crowned Queen,
Pray for us, Majestic Virgin,
So that nothing can stop us.
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