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Se muove a giurar fede
Original Language: Italian
Se muove a giurar fede
Al Tribunal d'amore,
E non stemprarsi, e non versar dolore
Un amator si crede,
Ei non sa con qual legge
Amore i servi suoi governa e regge.
I suoi regni ei governa
Con lo scoccar d'un' arco,
Che s'sltri giunge* disarmato al varco,
L'empie di pena eterna;
Sperar ben può diletto
Chiamato ad alloggiar nell' altrui petto.
Ma s'altri'l passo serra,
Et ei rimansi'n bando,
Allor dolente ardendo e sospirando
Sostiene orribil guerra,
Ne trovar può ferita
Ch'almeno in tanto duol tronchi la vita.
* “piange” printed, corrected by hand to “giunge.”
English
If a lover is moved to swear fealty
If a lover is moved to swear fealty
to the Court of love,
and thinks he won't become
distraught and suffer pain,
he doesn't know the law by which
love governs and controls his subjects.
Love governs his realm
with the shot of his bow, so that
if someone comes to the place unarmed,
he fills the victim with eternal pain;
one hopes in vain for delight
when summoned to dwell in another's heart.
But if the other remains contrary
and he remains banished,
then burning with anguish and sighing
he suffers terrible conflict,
in which he can't even receive a wound that
would at least end such a life of suffering.
Translated by:
Richard Kolb
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Se muove a giurar fede
Published by Cor Donato Editions in historically correct modern transcription, including critical introductory notes on the work, editorial procedures, original texts with new English translations, and other contextual information about the piece.
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