Let me confess that we two must be twain
Language: English
Let me confess that we two must be twain,
Although our undivided loves are one:
So shall those blots that do with me remain
Without thy help by me be borne alone.
In our two loves there is but one respect,
Though in our lives a separable spite,
Which though it alter not love's sole effect,
Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight.
I may not evermore acknowledge thee,
Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame,
Nor thou with public kindness honour me,
Unless thou take that honour from thy name:
But do not so; I love thee in such sort
As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.
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Text Authorship:
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by David Leo Diamond (1915 - 2005), "Let me confess that we two must be twain", 1964, published 1967 [ high voice and piano ], from We Two, no. 2, New York : Southern [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Björn Johansson , "Let me confess that we two must be twain", 1970-3, first performed 1976 [ soprano and string quartet ], from ...notes of Music [sung text not yet checked]
- by Eustace O'Connor , "Let me confess", published 1896 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Richard Simpson (1820 - 1876), "Sonnet XXXVI", 1865 [ duet for soprano and alto with piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
This text was added to the website: 2005-08-31
Line count: 14
Word count: 113
Sebbene uno sia il nostro amore, ed indiviso
Language: Italian (Italiano) after the English
Sebbene uno sia il nostro amore, ed indiviso,
Pure ti dico che non debbo starti accanto:
Così senza il tuo aiuto potrò portare il peso
di quelle macchie che sono mie soltanto.
Sono, i nostri due amori, un unico sentire,
Anche se le nostre vite allontana un dispetto,
che senza alterare l'unico effetto d'amore,
pure sottrae ore soavi al suo diletto.
Io non potrò mai mostrarmi a te fedele,
per tema che la mia colpa arrechi a te disdoro,
Né tu pure potrai mostrarti a me gentile
Se non sottraendo al tuo nome decoro.
Ma non lo fare: ti amo a tal punto io
Che, se tu mi appartieni, il tuo buon nome è il mio.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2007 by Ferdinando Albeggiani, (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:
This text was added to the website: 2007-10-04
Line count: 14
Word count: 116