blisful adj.

  blisful 
 TR3.1317 Ŏ blísfŭl nýght, ŏf hém sŏ lónge ĭsóught,
 TR3.1318 Hŏw blíthe ŭntó hĕm bóthĕ twó thŏw wéerĕ!
 TR3.1319 Why̆ nád Ĭ swích ŏon wíth my̆ sóule y̆bóught,
 TR3.1320 Yĕ, ór thĕ léestĕ jóiĕ thát wăs théerĕ?
 TR3.1321 Ăwéy, thŏw fóulĕ dáungĕr ánd thŏw féerĕ,
 TR3.1322 Ănd lát hĕm ín thĭs hévenĕ blíssĕ dwéllĕ,
 TR3.1323 Thăt ís sŏ héigh thăt ál nĕ kán Ĭ téllĕ!

Line Information

  • Differences among the manuscripts and editions:
  • English translation (Windeatt: 1998): O blissful night, sought by them for so long, how joyous you were for them both! Why had I not bought such a night at the price of my own soul? Yes, or the least joy that was there! Away with you, wretched reserve and timidity! And let them remain in this heaven’s bliss, that is so exalted that I cannot describe all of it!
  • Japanese translation (Sasamoto: 2012): ああ、彼らが長らく求めていた、幸せの一夜よ、汝は彼ら両人を何と喜ばしたことであろう。なぜ私は全霊をそそいでそのような夜を購わなかったのだろう。そう、なぜそこにあった最小の喜びすら購わなかったのだろう。立ち去れ、汝よこしまな＜侮辱＞よ、汝＜恐怖＞よ。二人をこの天の至福のうちに留まらせてください、私が語れないほどの高い至福の中に！
  • Chinese translation (Fang: 1956): 啊，幸福之夜呀，他俩经过这样久才遭遇着你，你对他俩应是何等的眷爱！我的灵魂何以未能取得这可贵的际遇，也未能享得那样的起码欢情？恶浊的恐惧和莽撞的轻慢，我愿你们远离，让他俩在这幸福之乡多作勾留，那是何等高超的境地，我确无法道其万一。

Word Information

  • Etymology: blis (OE) + ful
  • Addresser: Narrator
  • Addressee: N/A
  • Adjectives with which juxtaposed: N/A
  • Counterpart in its source (Fil): dolce (= sweet, 3.33.1)
  • Noun(s) (NPs) modified: day and night (night)
  • Attributive/ Predicative: attributive

Information in Previous Studies

  • OED: Not quoted
  • MED: Not quoted
  • Commented in other previous works:
  • Windeatt (2003): N/A
  • Fisher (1989): N/A
  • Benson (1987): N/A
  • Davis et al. (1979): Not quoted
  • Donaldson (1975): N/A
  • Baugh (1963): N/A

Possible Definitions

happy, joyful;

Comments from the Editor

Chaucer follows Fil.33 in the above quotation. Both Boccaccio and Chaucer claim that they are not able to tell the bliss the two protagonists had that night. This echoes with Antigone’s speech: ‘people must ask saints if it’s at all lovely in heaven—why? because they can tell—and ask devils if it’s foul in hell’ (2.895–6).