by Torquato Tasso (1544 - 1595)

Dispietata pietate
Language: Italian (Italiano) 
Our translations:  ENG
Dispietata pietate 
fu la tua veramente, o Dafne, allora
che ritenesti il dardo:
però che'l mio morire 
più amaro sarà quanto più tardo.
Ed or perché m'avvolgi 
per sì diverse strade e per sì vari
ragionamenti invano? Di che temi?
Temi ch'io non m'uccida?
Temi del mio bene. 
Deh, lasciami morire in tante pene.

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):

Available translations, adaptations, and transliterations (if applicable):

  • ENG English (unknown or anonymous translator) , title 1: "Your mercy truly"


Researcher for this page: John Versmoren

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 11
Word count: 54

Your mercy truly
Language: English  after the Italian (Italiano) 
Your mercy truly 
was merciless,
O Daphne, when you held back your arrow:
and my dying, so delayed,
will be all the more bitter.
Why do you make me wander
down so many paths,
through so many useless thoughts?
What do you fear?
Do you fear my love?
Ah, I am suffering so much -- let me die.

Note: the translators, who wish to remain anonymous, have indicated that this is to be regarded as a public-domain translation.

Text Authorship:

Based on:

 

This text was added to the website: 2010-04-09
Line count: 11
Word count: 57