ORFEO:

Rosa del ciel

vita del mondo,

e degna prole di lui

che l’universo affrena;

Sol, che’l tutto circondi

e’l tutto miri

Da gli stellanti giri,

Dimmi, vedesti mai

Di me più lieto e fortunato amante?

Fu ben felice il giorno,

Mio ben, che pria ti vidi;

E più felice l’hora

Che per te sospirai,

Poi ch’al mio sospirar tu sospirasti.

Felicissimo il punto

Che la candida mano,

Pegno di pura fede,

à me porgesti.

Se tanti cori avessi

Quant’occhi ha’l ciel eterno,

e quante chiome

Han questi colli ameni

il verde maggio,

Tutti colmi sarieno e traboccanti

Di quel piacer

ch’oggi mi fa contento.EURIDICE

Io non dirò qual sia

nel tuo gioire, Orfeo, la gioia mia,

che non hò meco il core,

ma teco stassi in compagnia d’ Amore.

Chiedilo dunque a lui s’ intender brami

quanto lieta i gioisca, e quanto t’ ami. NINFE, PASTORI

Lasciate i monti,

lasciate i fonti,

ninfe vezzose e liete,

e in questi prati

ai balli usati

vago il bel piè rendete. Qui miri il sole

vostre carole

più vaghe assai di quelle,

ond’ a la Luna,

a l’ aria bruna,

danzan in ciel le stelle. Ritornello CHORO NINFE, PASTORI

Vieni, Imeneo, deh vieni

e la tua face ardente

sia quasi un Sol nascente

ch’ apporti à questi amanti i dì sereni

e lunge homai disgombre

de gli affanni e del duol gli orrore e l’ombre.

ORFEO:

Rose of heaven,

life of the world,

and worthy progeny of him

who governs the universe;

Sun, who circumscribes everything

and sees everything,

From your starry rounds,

Tell me, did you ever see

than I a happier and more fortunate lover?

Happy was the day,

My love, that first I saw you;

And even happier the hour

That I sighed for you,

Since at my sigh, you sighed.

Happiest the moment

That your white hand,

A pledge of pure faith,

to me you offered.

If I had as many hearts

As heaven has eternal eyes,

and as many leaves

as have these pleasant hills

this green May,

All would be filled and overflowing

With that pleasure

that today makes me content.EURIDICE:

I cannot say how great the joy

your joy, Orpheus, inspires in me may be,

since my heart is not with me

but with you, companioned by Love.

Ask him, therefore, if you long to know

how it rejoices and how much it loves you. CHORUS:

Come from your hills,

come from your springs,

ye Nymphs so comely and happy,

and in these meadows

where dance is no stranger,

trip on your dainty feet. Here shall the Sun

behold your measures,

lovelier far than those

danced to the moon

at dead of night

by the stars of the sky. Ritornello CHORUS:

Descend of Hymen, descend,

and may your glowing torch

be like a rising sun

bringing to these lovers cloudless days

and scattering afar

the hideous murky shades of care and pain