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Levava li occhi miei bagnata in pianti ..

from Beatrice (2019) from "La Vita Nuova" by Thomas Oboe Lee

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lyrics

Levava li occhi miei bagnata in pianti,
e vedea, che parean pioggia di manna,
li angeli che tornavan suso in cielo,
e una nuvoletta avean davanti,
dopo la qual gridavan tutti: Osanna;
e s’altro avesser detto, a voi dire’lo.

Allor diceva Amor: “Più nol ti celo;
vieni a veder nostra donna che giace.
Lo imaginar fallace
mi condusse a veder madonna morta;
e quand’io l’avea scorta,
vedea che donne la covrian d’un velo;
ed avea seco umiltà verace,
che parea che dicesse: “Io sono in pace.”

Io divenia nel dolor sì umile,
veggendo in lei tanta umilità formata,
ch’io dice: “Morte, assai dolce ti tegno;
tu dei omai esser cosa gentile,
poi che tu se’ne la mia donna stata,
e dei aver pietate e non disdegno.

Vedi che sì desideroso vegno
d’esser de’tuoi, ch’io ti somiglio in fede.
Vieni, chè ‘l cor te chiede.”

Poi mi partia, consumato ogne duolo;
e quand’io era solo,
dicea, guardando verso l’alto regno:
“Beato, anima bella, chi te vede!”
Voi me chiamaste allor, vostra merzede.

I raised my eyes wet with tears,
and I saw, resembling a rain of manna,
the angels going back up to heaven,
and they had a little cloud in front of them,
behind which they were all crying ‘Hosanna’;
if they had said any more, I would tell you.

Then Love said: ‘I conceal it from you no longer;
come to see our lady lying dead.’
The false vision
led me to see my lady dead;
and when I had discerned her,
I saw women covering her with a veil;
and she had true humility with her,
so that she seemed to say: ‘I am in peace.’

In my sorrow I became so humble,
seeing such great humility taking shape in her,
that I said: ‘Death, very sweet I deem you;
by now you must be a kindly thing,
because you have been in my lady,
and you must feel pity and not disdain.

You see that I am coming so desirous
of being one of yours that I honestly resemble you.
Come, for my heart requests you.’

Then I departed, all sorrows consumed;
and when I was alone,
I said, looking up at the lofty realm:
‘Blessed, beautiful soul, is he who sees you!’
Then you ladies called to me, for which I thank you.

credits

from Beatrice (2019) from "La Vita Nuova", released April 9, 2020

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Thomas Oboe Lee Cambridge, Massachusetts

Thomas Oboe Lee was born in China in 1945. He lived in São Paulo, Brazil, for six years before coming to the United States in 1966. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh, he studied composition at the New England Conservatory and Harvard University. He has been a member of the music faculty at Boston College since 1990. ... more

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