“Vissi d`arte” from Tosca
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
Translation from The Complete Puccini Libretti, Volume II by Nico Castel
©Leyerle Publications

Vissi d’arte, vissi d’amore,
non feci mai male ad anima viva.
I lived on art, I lived on love,
I never harmed a living soul.

Con man furtiva,
quante miserie conobbi, aiutai.
With a furtive hand I helped all such poor people that I knew of.

Sempre con fè sincera
la mia preghiera
ai santi tabernacoli salì.
My prayers were always lifted up to the holy tabernacles with sincere faith.

Sempre con fè sincera
diedi fiori agl’altar.
Always with sincere faith I gave flowers to the altars.

Nell’ora del dolore,
perchè signore
me ne rimuneri così?
In the hour of grief
why, Lord,
do you repay me thus?

Diedi gioielli della Madonna al manto,
e diedi il canto agli astri, al ciel,
che ne ridean più belli.
I gave jewels for the Madonna’s mantle,
and I offered my song to the stars and heaven, who became more beautiful because of it.

Nell’ora del dolor
perchè, Signor,
perchè me ne rimuneri così?
In the hour of grief
why, Lord,
why do you repay me thus?