by
Thomas Campion (1567 - 1620)
When Laura smiles
Language: English
When Laura smiles her sight reuiues both night and day:
The earth and heauen viewes with delight her wanton play :
And her speech with euer-flowing musicke doth repaire
The cruell wounds of sorrow and vntam'd despaire.
The sprites that remaine in fleeting aire
Affect for pastime to vntwine her tressed haire,
And the birds thinke sweete Aurora, mornings Queene doth shine
From her bright sphere, when Laura shewes her lookes deuine.
Dianas eyes are not adorn'd with greater power
Then Lauras, when she lists awhile for sport to loure :
But when she her eyes encloseth, blindnes doth appeare
The chiefest grace of beautie, sweetelie seated there.
Loue hath no fire but what he steales from her bright eyes ;
Time hath no power but that which in her pleasure lyes :
For she with her deuine beauties all the world subdues,
And fils with heau'nly spirits my humble muse.
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):
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Javier Conte-Grand) , title 1: "Cuando Laura sonríe", copyright © 2010, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [
Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2007-11-16
Line count: 16
Word count: 147
Cuando Laura sonríe
Language: Spanish (Español)  after the English
Cuando Laura sonríe su imagen revive a la noche y al día
El cielo y la tierra observan con deleite su sensual juego;
Y sus palabras, que fluyen como música,
Curan las crueles heridas del dolor y de la desesperación impía.
Los espíritus que permanecen en el aire fugaz
Disfrutan el pasatiempo de desenredar su rizada cabellera;
Y las aves creen que la dulce aurora relumbra desde la reina misma
Desde su brillante esfera cuando Laura luce su divina figura.
Los ojos de Diana no están adornados con mayor poder
Que los de Laura, mientras ella espera tentar a sus pretendientes,
Pero cuando los cierra, aflora la exquisitez;
La sublime gracia de la belleza misma dulcemente allí sentada.
El amor no tiene fuego, sino el que roba de sus radiantes ojos,
El tiempo no tiene poder, sino el del placer que en ella existe;
Pues con su divina belleza a todo el mundo ella subyuga,
Y llena de bríos celestiales a mi humilde musa.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from English to Spanish (Español) copyright © 2010 by Javier Conte-Grand, (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: 2010-05-04
Line count: 16
Word count: 164