I. I have a great desire to compose a sirventes and, God bless me! I shall do so. For I see the whole world coming to naught; no man trusts another, rather, if you serve me I shall deal falsely with you until I have made you lose what you own. Thus there is great ingratitude, which is why God gives us great ill every day, and lack and want of all good.
II. First, concerning the Church I say to you that deceit is rampant in it and ought not to be; covetousness binds and seizes it so that for money they forgive no matter what; and they exhort people night and day not to envy or covet anything, but they themselves have no intention (of living thus); they forbid usury and theft, but they practice it, and from them people take their course.
III. I see men of law commit serious offenses, and among them great contention and deceit prevail; they despise every good right and they cause the path of crookedness to be considered straight. Thus they damn soul and life, so that they shall all go to destruction in hell and shall suffer torment and grievous pain and worse disease in darkness with vile companions.
IV. In all trades I see deception practiced, whenever any merchandise is involved. Buying and selling, they are liars; no man would sell to you withouth lying; and they make liars of God and the Virgin Mary out of greed for money. Alas, wretches, how is it that they know not that they give such lordship to money that they lose God, who holds them all in his power?
V. Now I see the world evil and ungrateful and faithless and full of every sort of wickedness. A poor man finds no kindness in a rich man unless the latter sees some profit in it; and thus Him who formed and created us and suffered death (for us), we act against His commandment every day and make a god of money, and for money we forget Him, yet at the end no one takes any of it away (with him).
VI. Never did I have the will or the desire to repent, but now indeed I could, for each day we draw nearer to death; therefore every man should make confession. I saw a great portent of this one day last year: it rained earth and blood, truly. Therefore we should take good thought; and let him who can, aid his fellow man, and thus each one would improve himself.
VII. To Mon Azaut go quickly and wend your way, my sirventes, for he is the flower of youth and above all others he exalts his noble merit and his worth and his cheerful companionship, and he gives pleasure whatever he may be.
VIII. Pons de Teza, I pray that God may bless you, for you are hospitable to all and every day you increase your honor. Therefore I put myself under your care, for he makes a good end who ties himself to a good tree.
