Basso Continuo on the Harp for “Sola fra’ suoi più cari” (Orazio Michi)

Sola fra suoi più cari
à piè del figlio afflitto
tormentato e traffitto
da mille stratij amari
sconsolata Maria
qual tortorella vedova languia.

Alone among her dearest ones,
at the feet of her son, afflicted,
tormented, and cut
by a thousand bitter wounds,
the inconsolable Maria,
that widowed turtledove, languished.

Stava l’addolorata
al duro tronco appresso
à par del tronco istesso
immobile, insensata
in piè reggeala amore
e sosteneala in vita il suo dolore.

She stood grief-stricken
near the hard trunk,
herself like the same trunk,
immobile, insensate,
kept upright by Love
and kept alive by her very pain.

Tutta struggeasi in pianto,
mirando, ahi scempio crudo,
l’insanguinato ignudo,
ignudo se non quanto
d’un nero velo ombroso
cinto l’havea d’intorno il ciel pietoso.

She dissolved in tears
seeing, oh cruel image,
the naked bleeding one,
naked, except for the
dark black veil with which
Heaven mercifully surrounded him.

Lungo spatio tacendo
al suo dolor si dolse,
pur lo spirito sciolse
in voce alfin gemendo
e pianse e disse Ò mio,
ma l’interruppe il pianto e non finio.

For a long time she grieved,
silent about her pain.
Then her spirit loosened at last,
in trembling voice
she wept and said, O my,
but her tears interrupted and she did not finish.

Ò mio poscia riprese
figlio de la paterna
bellezza imago eterna,
chi costà ti sospese
chi t’hà si concio? Ò quale
tua nò si grave fù colpa mortale?

O my, she then began again,
my son, eternal image
of fatherly beauty,
who has hung you there?
who has reduced you to this? O what
no, not yours was such a mortal sin?

Figlio indugia il morire,
ritien lo spirto ancora
tanto che teco io mora
che ’n si grave martire
di cor’, d’anima priva
com’esser può, che senza vita io viva?

Son, delay death,
keep your spirit alive
until I may die with you,
because such is the terrible torment
of the heart of a soul bereaved,
how could it be that without life I live?

À te ch’errar non puoi
pena già non conviensi
questi tormenti immensi
Misera, non son tuoi
quei ferri acuti, e rei
quell’aspre piaghe e quei dolor son miei.

You, who could never hurt
anyone, how can you bear
these immense torments?
Miserable me, they are not yours
these sharp cruel irons;
those harsh wounds and those pains are mine.

La croce, dunqu’e i chiodi
cedi à questa infelice
indegna genitrices
figlio figlio non m’odi
lassa già chini il volto
già morte i sensi il ragionar t’ha tolto.

Yield then your Cross and the nails
to this unhappy woman,
this unworthy mother.
Son, son, do you not hear me?
Alas, he already bends his head;
death has already taken his senses and reason.

Per non mirarlo serra
il ciel gl’occhi sereni,
mà tu come sostieni
ingratissima terra?
Qui Christo estinto giaque
e la terra si scosse, et ella tacque.

In order not to see him, Heaven
shuts its blue eyes.
But you, how can you hold him up,
ungrateful Earth?
Now Christ lay lifeless,
and the earth moved, and she fell silent.