Prima parte
Fiera† stella (s'el ciel ha forza in noi
Quanto alcun crede) fu sotto ch'io nacqui
E fiera cuna dove nato giacqui
E fiera terra ove i pie mossi poi
E fiera donna che con gli occhi suoi
E con l'arco a cui sol per segno piacqui
Fe la piaga onde Amor teco non tacqui
Che con quelle arme risaldar la puoi.
Seconda parte
Ma tu prendi a diletto i dolor miei
Ella non già perché non son più duri
E'l colpo è di saetta e non di spiedo
Pur mi consola che languir per lei
Meglio è che gioir d'altra e tu mel giuri
Per l'orato tuo stral ed io tel credo.
Canzoniere 174
† Many of the text sources have fera, rather than fiera, throughout.
English translation
First part
Cruel the star (if the heavens have power
in us, as some believe) under which I was born,
and cruel the cradle where I lay once born,
and cruel the earth, where my feet then walked:
and cruel the lady, who with her eyes,
and with her bow favouring me as target,
made a wound: Love, I'm not silent about these things,
since with those weapons you could heal my hurt.
Second part
But you take some delight from my sorrow:
she does not because it is not far worse,
being only an arrow-wound, and not a spear's.
I console myself that to pine for her
is better than to joy in another: you swear it
by your golden arrow, and I believe you.
Erster Teil
Im strengen Stern war (wenn, wie mancher denket,
Der Himmel uns beherrscht) ich einst geboren,
Streng war die Wieg', in der ich lag geboren,
Streng Land, wohin den Fuß ich drauf gelenket;
Und streng die Frau, die mit dem Blick mich kränket,
Mit Pfeilen, die zum Ziel mich nur erkoren,
mich traf; was oft ich, Amor, deinen Ohren
Geklagt, weil jene Waff' auch Heilung schenket.
Zweiter Teil
Doch bringt mein Jammer Freude deinem Herzen,
Nicht ihrem, weil zu leicht die Wunden schmerzen,
Und sie von Pfeilen kommen, nicht von Spießen.
Dies tröstet mich, dass Schmachten nach der Frauen
Mehr wert, als einer andern zu genießen;
Du schwörst's beim goldnen Pfeil; gern will ich trauen.
Italian text
English translation
German translation