Amor fra l'erbe una leggiadra rete
d'oro et di perle tese sott'un ramo
dell'arbor sempre verde ch'i' tant'amo,
benche n'abbia ombre piú triste che liete.
L'ésca fu 'l seme ch'egli sparge et miete,
dolce et acerbo, ch'i' pavento et bramo;
le note non fur mai, dal dí ch'Adamo
aperse gli occhi, sí soavi et quete.
E 'l chiaro lume che sparir fa 'l sole
folgorava d'intorno: e 'l fune avolto
era la man ch'avorio et neve avanza.
Cosí caddi a la rete, et qui m'àn colto
gli atti vaghi et l'angeliche parole,
e 'l piacer e 'l desire et la speranza.
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Love spread his graceful net of gold and pearls
over the grass, underneath the branches
of an evergreen tree that I love so much,
though its shadow gives more sadness than delight.
His lure was the crop he reaps as well as sows,
sweet and bitter, so I'm in fear and longing:
the birdsong was never so soft and quiet,
since the day that Adam first opened his eyes.
And the clear light that shone all around
quenched the sun: and the cord was wrapped
round a hand that revealed ivory and snow.
So I fell into the net, and what trapped me
was her graceful ways, and angelic words,
and pleasure, and desire, and hope.
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