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Occhietti amati che m'incendete, Perché spietati omai più siete? Splendan sereni, di gioia pieni, Vostri splendori, fiamme di cori. Bocca vermiglia ch'hai per confini, O meraviglia, perle e rubini, Quando ridente, quando clemente, Dirai: "Ben mio ardo anch'io!"? Credi mio core che ognor più forte Fia in me l’ardore sino alla morte Né sia chi tenti far meno ardenti I miei sospiri, i miei martiri. S’io non languisco per te mia gioia S’io non patisco io tosto muoia Ma s’io t’onoro, o mio tesoro Cangia in pietade tua feritade.
O. Respighi sets stanzas 1-2
Text Authorship:
- sometimes misattributed to Alberto Donini
- possibly by Andrea Falconieri (1585 - 1656) [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 Andrea Falconieri (1585 - 1656), "Occhietti amati" [sung text checked 1 time]
The text above (or a part of it) is used in the following settings:
- by Ottorino Respighi (1879 - 1936), "Bella porta di rubini", P 71 no. 4 (1906), from Cinque Canti All'antica, no. 4
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Barbara Miller) (Garrett Medlock) , "Beloved eyes", copyright © 2005, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POR Portuguese (Português) (Joana Albergaria Teixeira) , "Olhinhos amados", copyright © 2025, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2005-08-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 89
Beloved eyes that inflame me Why are you still pitiless? May then shine, full of joy, Your splendors, flames of hearts. Vermillion mouth, which has for borders, o marvels, pearls and rubies, When laughing, when merciful, Will you say "my beloved, I burn too"? Believe my heart which always more strongly Entrusts within me passion unto death, Nor [let there] be [those] who try to make less ardent My sighs, my suffering. If I do not languish for you, my joy, If I do not suffer I soon die, But if I honor you, oh my treasure, Your ruthlessness [will] change to pity.
Stanzas 1-2 translated by Barbara Miller. Stanzas 3-4 translated by Garrett Medlock.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Italian (Italiano) to English copyright © 2005 by Barbara Miller and Garrett Medlock, (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) misattributed to Alberto Donini and possibly by Andrea Falconieri (1585 - 1656)
This text was added to the website: 2005-08-14
Line count: 16
Word count: 103