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Voglio di vita uscir, voglio che cadano Quest'ossa in polve e queste membra in cenere, E che i singulti miei tra l'ombre vadano, Già che quel piè ch'ingemma l'herbe tenere Sempre fugge da me, ne lo trattengono I lacci, ohimè, del bel fanciul di Venere. [Miei sensi del sepolcro all' orlo vengono, E dalla vita quasi s' accongedano Poi ch'un sol pegno di mercè non tengono.]1 Vo che gl'abissi il mio cordoglio vedano, E l'aspro mio martir le furie piangano, E che i dannati al mio tormento cedano. A Dio crudel, [gli orgogli]2 tuoi rimangano A [crudelir con altri]3. A te rinuncio, Né vo' più che mie speme in te si frangano. S'apre la tomba, il mio morir t'annuncio. Una lagrima spargi, et alfin donami [Di tua tarda pietade un solo nuncio,]4 E s'amando t'offesi, homai perdonami.
1 omitted by Monteverdi.
2 Monteverdi: "gl'orgogli"
3 Monteverdi: "incrudelir con gl'altri"
4 omitted by Ferrari
Text Authorship:
- by Anonymous / Unidentified Author [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Benedetto Ferrari (c1603 - 1681), "Voglio di vita uscir", published 1637 [ tenor, continuo ], from Musiche Varie a Voce Sola - Libro Secondo, no. 10
Score: IMSLP [external link] [sung text checked 1 time] - by Claudio Monteverdi (1567 - 1643), "Voglio di vita uscir" [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Elizabeth Baber Weaver) , "I want to depart this life", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Je veux quitter la vie", copyright © 2019, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 19
Word count: 142
Je veux quitter la vie, je veux que tombent En poussière ces os et ces membres en cendres, Et que mes sanglots aillent à travers les ombres, Alors le pied qui embellit l'herbe tendre Toujours me fuit et je ne retiens pas Les liens, hélas, de la belle création de Vénus. Mes esprits viennent au bord du sépulcre, Et de la vie je me sépare presque, Puisque je ne reçois aucun gage de miséricorde. Je veux que les abîmes voient mon chagrin, Et que les Furies pleurent mon amer martyre Et que les damnés cèdent à mon tourment. Adieu cruelle, et que ton orgueil reste Pour torturer les autres. Je renonce à toi, Je ne veux plus que mes espoirs se brisent sur toi. La tombe s'ouvre, je t'annonce ma mort. Verse une larme, et enfin donne-moi Un seul signe de pitié tardive, Et si mon amour t'a offensé, maintenant pardonne-moi.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Italian (Italiano) to French (Français) copyright © 2019 by Guy Laffaille, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
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Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist
This text was added to the website: 2019-02-04
Line count: 19
Word count: 151