by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation © by Ferdinando Albeggiani

A woman's face with nature's own hand...
Language: English 
Our translations:  ITA
A woman's face with nature's own hand painted,
Hast thou, the master mistress of my passion;
A woman's gentle heart, but not acquainted
With shifting change, as is false women's fashion:
An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling,
Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth;
A man in hue all hues in his controlling,
Which steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth.
And for a woman wert thou first created;
Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting,
And by addition me of thee defeated,
By adding one thing to my purpose nothing.
  But since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure,
  Mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure.

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This text was added to the website: 2007-10-12
Line count: 14
Word count: 114

Viso di donna, che Natura stessa ha dipinto
Language: Italian (Italiano)  after the English 
Viso di donna, che Natura stessa ha dipinto,
possiedi tu, Sire e Signora della mia passione,
cuore gentile di donna, ma che non segue l'istinto
dell'incostanza, che delle false donne è costume:
e sguardo più del loro vivo, al falso meno incline,
che fa apparire d'oro l'oggetto su cui indugia;
uomo all'aspetto, che supera tutte le forme umane,
che agli uomini lo sguardo, e l'anima alla donna ruba.
Tu come donna fosti in principio creato;
Ma poi Natura, creandoti, di te vaga si fece
e, con un tocco in più, fosti a me rubato
perché ti aggiunse strumento che ai miei fini non piace.
Ma poiché eretto ti fece per far le donne godere,
sia di quelle il piacere, ma mio rimanga il tuo amore.

Text Authorship:

  • Translation from English to Italian (Italiano) copyright © 2012 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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This text was added to the website: 2012-02-11
Line count: 14
Word count: 125