by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564)
Translation by John Addington Symonds (1840 - 1893)
Sonetto XXIV
Language: Italian (Italiano)
Spirto ben nato, in cui si specchia e vede Nelle tuo belle membra oneste e care Quante natura e 'l ciel tra no' puo' fare, Quand'a null'altra suo bell'opra cede; Spirto leggiadro, in cui si spera e crede Dentro, come di fuor nel viso appare, Amor, pietà, mercè, cose sì rare Che mà furn'in beltà con tanta fede; L'amor mi prende, e la beltà mi lega; La pietà, la mercè con dolci sguardi Ferma speranz'al cor par che ne doni. Qual uso o qual governo al mondo niega, Qual crudeltà per tempo, o qual più tardi, C'a sì bel viso morte non perdoni?
Text Authorship:
- by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564), appears in Rime, no. 41 [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 (Edward) Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976), "Sonetto XXIV", op. 22 no. 7 (1940), published 1943 [ voice and piano ], from Seven Sonnets of Michelangelo, no. 7 [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in English, a translation by John Addington Symonds (1840 - 1893) , appears in The Sonnets of Michael Angelo Buonarroti and Tommaso Campanella now for the first time translated into rhymed English ; composed by John Mitchell.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Carl Johengen) , "Sonnet XXIV", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Sonnet XXIV", copyright © 2015, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- LIT Lithuanian (Lietuvių kalba) (Giedrius Prunskus) , "Sonetas XXIV", copyright © 2022, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Juan Henríquez Concepción) , copyright © 2008, (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: 14
Word count: 103
Choice soul
Language: English after the Italian (Italiano)
Choice soul, in which, as in a glass we see, In thy pure form and delicate, What beauties heaven and nature can create, The paragon of all their works to be! Fair soul, in whom love, pity, piety, Have found a home as from thy outward state We clearly read, and are so rare and great That they adorn none other like to thee! And love for thee holds my captivity; Beauty binds my soul to thine own Thy gentle eyes of mercy wake my hope What law, what destiny, what cruelty denies That death should spare perfection so complete? Choice soul in thee as in a glass we see Beauty bind my soul to thine own.
Text Authorship:
- by John Addington Symonds (1840 - 1893), appears in The Sonnets of Michael Angelo Buonarroti and Tommaso Campanella now for the first time translated into rhymed English [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564), appears in Rime, no. 41
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Mitchell (b. 1941), "Choice soul", op. 72 no. 5 (1989), from Six Sonnets by Michelangelo, no. 5. [text verified 1 time]
Researcher for this page: Victoria Brago
This text was added to the website: 2003-11-05
Line count: 15
Word count: 117