Augellin

Augellin
Che’l tuo amor
Segui ogn’hor
Dal faggio al pin;
E spiegando i bei concenti
Vai temprando
Col tuo canto i miei lamenti.

Il mio Sol troppo fier,
Troppo altier,
Del mio gran duol
Clori amata, Clori bella,
M’odia ingrata
A’ miei prieghi empia e rubella.

Non sia più
Cruda no, morirò
S’ella è qual fù;
Taci, taci, che già pia
Porge i baci,
Al mio labro l’alba mia.

Segui augel
Né sdegnar
Di formar
Canto novel;
Fuor del seno amorosetto
Mostra à pieno
La tua gioia, il mio diletto.

Little songbird

Little songbird
Forever
Chasing your love
From beech tree to pine;
With your lovely music-making
You temper with your song
My laments.

My Sun is too proud
And looks down
On my heartache –
My beloved and beautiful Chloris
Hates me, ungrateful,
Hard-hearted, spurning my entreaties.

O that she be harsh
To me no more, I would die
If she were;
Hush, hush, for now sweetly
She brings her kisses
To my lips, my dawn.

So now, little bird,
Don’t refuse
To make
A new song;
Out of your loving breast
Give full vent
To your joy, and my delight.

English translation by Paul Archer of the text of Augellin by Stefano Landi (1587-1639).