Anema e core

S. d'Esposito

Nuje ca perdimmo 'a pace e 'o suonno,

Do we both lie restless, losing sleep

nun ce dicimmo maje pecché?

never confessing why?

Vocche ca vase nun ne vonno,

There may be mouths not longing to be kissed,

nun só' sti vvocche oje né'!

But they are not ours!

Pure, te chiammo e nun rispunne

Yet, I call out to you and you do not reply

pe' fa dispietto a me

holding me in contempt

Tenímmoce accussí: anema e core

We must bind together like heart and soul

nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' n'ora

let us no longer part ways, not even for an hour

stu desiderio 'e te mme fa paura

this desire for you fills me with fear

Campá cu te,

A desire to live my life with you,

sempe cu te,

always with you,

pe' nun murí

or die

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too,

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Perhaps my weeping will prove sweet

Forse sarrá ca 'o chianto è doce,

perhaps good will come of it

forse sarrá ca bene fa

Yet even when I feel more joyful,

Quanno mme sento cchiù felice,

it is not true joy

nun è felicitá

Especially when you, on occasion,

Specie si ê vvote tu mme dice,

deign to speak truthfully to me

distratta, 'a veritá

Tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

We must bind together like heart and soul

nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' n'ora

let us no longer part ways, not even for an hour

stu desiderio 'e te mme fa paura

this desire for you fills me with fear

Campá cu te,

A desire to live my life with you,

sempe cu te,

always with you,

pe' nun murí

or die

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Tenímmoce accussí: anema e core

We must bind together like heart and soul

nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' n'ora

let us no longer part ways, not even for an hour

stu desiderio 'e te mme fa paura

this desire for you fills me with fear

Campá cu te,

A desire to live my life with you,

sempe cu te,

always with you,

pe' nun murí

or die

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too,

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Perhaps my weeping will prove sweet

Forse sarrá ca 'o chianto è doce,

perhaps good will come of it

forse sarrá ca bene fa

Yet even when I feel more joyful,

Quanno mme sento cchiù felice,

it is not true joy

nun è felicitá

Especially when you, on occasion,

Specie si ê vvote tu mme dice,

deign to speak truthfully to me

distratta, 'a veritá

Tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

We must bind together like heart and soul

nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' n'ora

let us no longer part ways, not even for an hour

stu desiderio 'e te mme fa paura

this desire for you fills me with fear

Campá cu te,

A desire to live my life with you,

sempe cu te,

always with you,

pe' nun murí

or die

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too,

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Perhaps my weeping will prove sweet

Forse sarrá ca 'o chianto è doce,

perhaps good will come of it

forse sarrá ca bene fa

Yet even when I feel more joyful,

Quanno mme sento cchiù felice,

it is not true joy

nun è felicitá

Especially when you, on occasion,

Specie si ê vvote tu mme dice,

deign to speak truthfully to me

distratta, 'a veritá

Tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

We must bind together like heart and soul

nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' n'ora

let us no longer part ways, not even for an hour

stu desiderio 'e te mme fa paura

this desire for you fills me with fear

Campá cu te,

A desire to live my life with you,

sempe cu te,

always with you,

pe' nun murí

or die

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Perhaps my weeping will prove sweet

Forse sarrá ca 'o chianto è doce,

perhaps good will come of it

forse sarrá ca bene fa

Yet even when I feel more joyful,

Quanno mme sento cchiù felice,

it is not true joy

nun è felicitá

Especially when you, on occasion,

Specie si ê vvote tu mme dice,

deign to speak truthfully to me

distratta, 'a veritá

Tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

We must bind together like heart and soul

nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' n'ora

let us no longer part ways, not even for an hour

stu desiderio 'e te mme fa paura

this desire for you fills me with fear

Campá cu te,

A desire to live my life with you,

sempe cu te,

always with you,

pe' nun murí

or die

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

We must bind together like heart and soul

nun ce lassammo cchiù, manco pe' n'ora

let us no longer part ways, not even for an hour

stu desiderio 'e te mme fa paura

this desire for you fills me with fear

Campá cu te,

A desire to live my life with you,

sempe cu te,

always with you,

pe' nun murí

or die

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!

Che ce dicimmo a fá parole amare,

Why do we trade bitter words,

si 'o bbene po' campá cu nu respiro?

when sweetness is borne of a single breath?

Si smanie pure tu pe' chist'ammore,

If this love torments you too

tenímmoce accussí anema e core!

we must bind together like heart and soul!