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Se nel volto per gli occhi il cor si vede, altro segno non ho più manifesto della mie fiamma; addunche basti or questo, signor mie caro, a domandar mercede. Forse lo spirto tuo, con maggior fede ch’i’ non credo, che sguarda il foco onesto che m’arde, fie di me pietoso e presto, come grazia c’abbonda a chi ben chiede. O felice quel dì, se questo è certo! Fermisi in un momento il tempo e l’ore, il giorno e ’l sol nella su’ antica traccia; acciò ch'i' abbi, e non già per mie merto, il desiato mie dolce signore per sempre nell'indegne e pronte braccia.
Text Authorship:
- by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564), appears in Rime, no. 72 [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 Kaikhosru Sorabji (1892 - 1988), "Se nel volto per gli occhi il cor si vede", KSS 36 no. 5 (1923), published 2005, first performed 1980 [ voice and orchestra ], from Cinque sonetti di Michelagniolo Buonarroti, no. 5, Bath, The Sorabji Archive; critical edition [sung text checked 1 time]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926) , no title, appears in Michelangelo-Übertragungen ; composed by Willy Kehrer, Anton Schoendlinger.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Charles Hopkins) , "As a person’s heart is to be seen in his face through his eyes", written 2002, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-07-31
Line count: 14
Word count: 104
As a person’s heart is to be seen in his face through his eyes, I have no clearer sign Of the flame that burns inside me; so now let this suffice, My sweet lord, to plead for mercy. Perhaps your spirit, with greater faith Than I give it credit for, seeing the true fire That consumes me, will show me mercy and soon, Like grace abounds for those who earnestly pray for it. O happy that day, of this one can be sure! May the passage of time itself cease at that very moment, The day and the sun in its age-old path; In order that I may have, while not through my own deserts, My sweet longed-for lord Forever in my unworthy[,] yet eager arms.
Confirmed with an original Microsoft Word Document provided by Alistair Hinton.
Text Authorship:
- by Charles Hopkins (1952 - 2007), "As a person’s heart is to be seen in his face through his eyes", written 2002, copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Italian (Italiano) by Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475 - 1564), appears in Rime, no. 72
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Poom Andrew Pipatjarasgit [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2018-08-03
Line count: 14
Word count: 126