TASSO, Torquato


Perduto è tutto il tempo che in amor non si spende


Ecco mormorar l’onde



Ecco mormorar l'onde,

E tremolar le fronde

A l'aura mattutina, e gli arboscelli,

E sovra i verdi rami i vaghi augelli

Cantar soavemente,

E rider l'Oriente;

Ecco già l'alba appare,

E si specchia nel mare,

E rasserena il cielo,

E le campagne imperla il dolce gelo,

E gli alti monti indora:

O bella e vaga Aurora,

L'aura è tua messaggera, e tu de l'aura

Ch'ogni arso cor ristaura


Now the waves murmur

And the boughs and the shrubs tremble

in the morning breeze,

And on the green branches the pleasant birds

Sing softly

And the east smiles;

Now dawn already appears

And mirrors herself in the sea,

And makes the sky serene,

And the gentle frost impearls the fields

And gilds the high mountains:

O beautiful and gracious Aurora,

The breeze is your messenger, and you the breeze's

Which revives each burnt-out heart.




Gerusalemme liberata

Canto l'arme pietose e 'l capitano

che 'l gran sepolcro liberò di Cristo.

Molto egli oprò co 'l senno e con la mano,

molto soffrì nel glorioso acquisto;

e in van l'Inferno vi s'oppose, e in vano

s'armò d'Asia e di Libia il popol misto.

Il ciel gli diè favore, e sotto ai santi

segni ridusse i suoi compagni erranti


Jeruzalem bevrijd
…..
En ’t einde van de natte wintertijd,

die de oorlog stilgelegd had, kwam al nader,

toen hoog van zijn in alle eeuwigheid

glanzende troon de onsterfelijke Vader,

zich trots verheffend in zijn majesteit

boven de helse krocht van zijn verrader,

omlaag keek en de wereld die daar lag

in één moment met één blik overzag.
…..
Vertaling : Frans Van Dooren


Godfrey of Bulloigne

or the Recoverie of Jerusalem
…..
These naked wantons, tender, faire and white,

Mooved so farre the warriours stubborne harts,

That on their shapes they gazed with delite;

The Nymphes applide their sweete alluring artes,

And one of them above the waters quite,

Lift up her head, her brests, and higher partes,

And all that might weake eies subdew and take,

Her lower beauties vailed the gentle lake.

As when the morning starre escapt and fled,

From greedie waves with dewie beames up flies,

Or as the Queene of love, new borne and bred

Of th’ Oceans fruitfull froth, did first arise:

So vented she, her golden lockes foorth shed

Round pearles and cristall moist therein which lies:

But when her eies upon the knights she cast

She start, and fain’d her of their sight agast.

And her faire lockes, that on a knot were tide

High on her crowne, she gan at large unfold;

Which falling long and thicke, and spreading wide,

The ivorie soft and white, mantled in gold:

Thus her faire skin the dame would cloath and hide,

And that which hid it no lesse faire was hold;

Thus clad in waves and lockes, her eies divine

From them ashamed did she turne and twine.

With all she smiled, and she blusht withall,

Her blush, her smiling; smiles, her blushing graced:

Over her face her amber tresses fall,

Where under love himselfe in ambush placed:

At last she warbled forth a treble small,

And with sweet lookes, her sweet songs enterlaced;

O happie men! that have the grace (quoth shee)

This blisse, this heav’n, this paradise to see.
…..

Hedge that divides the lovely

Hedge, that divides the lovely

Garden, and myself from me,

Never in you so fair a rose I see

As she who is my lady,

Loving, sweet and holy:

Who as I stretch my hand to you

Presses it, so softly, too