Nasce la pena mia

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Italian text

Nasce la pena mia
Non potendo mirar mio vivo sole
E la mia vita e ria qual hor lo miro
Perch’il guard’e tale
Che lasciarmi peggior che morte suole
Ahi vita trist’e frale
Che fia dunque di me che far mi deggio
S’io mir’ho male e s’io non mir’ho peggio.

English translation

My torment begins
When I cannot gaze upon my dazzling sun;
And my life is wretched
Whenever I admire it, for its glance is so strong
That it usually leaves me worse off than death.
Ah, sad, feeble life,
What will become of me then, what should I do?
If I gaze, I feel pain; and if I don’t, I feel worse.

Translation by David Butchart