The Perilous Fountain with the Charter of Love

Upon a river that softly
Carried it through the calm water;
I had neither pole nor oar
To guide it to a certain place,
But rather it seemed to me I followed the way
Which was granted to me by God.
The lack of "baston" (pole) or "auiron" (oar) signifies that the narrator is not in control of his journey; he is a passive passenger of divine providence.

¶ For a long time the ship led me,
Until I approached a rock;
The water led it softly,
Wherefore I easily drew near
To a long branch which I touched,
original: "rain." This refers to a branch or bough of a tree hanging over the water.
Pulling it firmly toward me,
And then I tied the ship there
And leaped out lightly.

¶ When I had walked some hundred paces,
I saw a place then uninhabited,
Which formerly, by subtle design,
Was nobly demarcated.
original: "subtil compas." This suggests the site was planned with the precision of an architect’s compass, implying it was once a place of high civilization or artifice.
I believe that the Divinity
Honored this place more than others,
Or at least, of great dignity
Was he who once lived there.

¶ The place was so delightful
Because of the sweet fruits I saw there,
That it felt most beneficial;
Then I looked a little to the right.
original: "destre." In medieval allegory, the right-hand side often represents the correct or spiritual path.