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L'Affetto Umano
Original Language: Italian
Vago, instabil, leggiero è il nostro affetto,
Si cangiano i desir cangiando gl'anni;
Ché di quel che fanciul tanto t’affanni,
Superbetto Garzon non hai diletto.
Di colei che si dolce hor m’arde il petto,
La più matura età scuopre gl’inganni;
Ma gl'andati piacer, vecchio, condanni
Ch’a lasciar i piacer ti vedi astretto.
Così col tempo andiam di voglie in voglie:
Gioco, vezzi, delitie, amori e studi
Son finti scherzi e mascherate doglie;
E la sorte chiamando e i cieli crudi,
Caduchi più de le caduche foglie.
Nudi venghiamo e ce n’andiamo ignudi.
Poet:
English
Human Passion
Fleeting, unstable, and fickle is our passion,
our desires change with changing years;
what so preoccupies you as a child
gives you no pleasure as a youth.
Of her that today enflames my breast so sweetly,
greater maturity uncovers her deceits;
older, you condemn departed pleasures
as you find yourself forced to abandon them.
Thus as time passes we go from desire to desire:
games, charms, delights, loves, and studies
are feigned trifles and disguised sorrows;
and though we call fate and the gods cruel,
we fall more surely than falling leaves.
Naked we arrive and we depart naked.
Translated by:
Richard Kolb
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L'Affetto Humano
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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