Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg: Giacomo da Lentini Canzoni XII

In loving for so long,
I wish that I could see
The time when you'd be pleased
By what I'm worth to you, my worthy one.

Extraordinarily
I strive si that I might
Acquire the worthiness
To make my love seem valuable to you.

I'd like to serve befittingly
Where all my pleasure dwells,
And make my choice of words conform

To what I feel:
By understanding what I say
You'll see how my heart's overcome with pain.

The pain I feel in loving you,
My lady, does not hurt
But makes me glad to think
That you might harbor love as well.

With joyfulness your love
Appears to welcome me,
Yet thanks to my sweet wait
I seem to see what treats me with disdain.

But I am saddened by one fact,
That I don't truly know
If you perceive the love I have for you:

What makes me ache
Is that I cannot tell a hundredth part
Of all the love I bear for you.

If I cannot express in full
The love I bear for you,
This adage makes my point,
That one piece validates a garden's fruit;

And through kind comforting
A heavy grie is left behind
And is turned into joy:
Of this I have no fear, my hope's so strong.

And if you find some fault in me,
Look at yourself instead,
For being proud makes you most beautiful,

Though you know well
That pride's not bliss, but it is suitable
And all I see befits you perfectly.

And everything I see
Seems beautiful to me
And beauty unsurpassed;
I crave no other luxury or joy

And see no lady quite
So full of loveliness
Whose worth is anything but base
Compare with yours, which spawned my love.

And if ..., my lady,
I were to love you and you me,
If this were snow, then it woud seem like fire,

As night would day,
And ever for as long as I'm in love,
Through one who truly loves revisits pain.

I don't know how I seem to you
Nor what you'll do concerning me.
Though slay me if you will,
You'll find my heart unwavering

And always of one mind,
So much do I love you;
But you will find me dead
If you won't have me in your custody:

I wish you'd strike my heart
To comfort me with sympathy
and make my eyes weep many tears of love

And happiness,
So that I fully bathe your lovely face
With an abundance of my tender tears.

Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg Giacomo da Lentini Canzoni XII

Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Giacomo da Lentini Canzoni XII