In the heart's most secret and hidden recess Ne la secreta e più profounda parte
In the heart's most secret hidden recess,
grouped and armed, my thoughts and desires,
make ready for a fierce assault, for war
so remorseless reason flees at a stroke;

the inner self reasons, uses her art
to awaken reason to awareness
of the inflictions to come; but behind
her back, her helpless senses are aroused.

I am made of flesh, am weak, a burden
to myself, cannot grasp the high ideals
the spirit sends those who are all spirit.

Therefore lead me, Lord, before my soul grows
too heavy with sin, to the sacred shores:
without you, I remain iniquitous.

Ne la segreta e più profonda parte
del cor, là dove in schiera armati stanno
i pensier e i desiri, e guerra fanno
sì rea che la ragion spesso si parte,

l'uomo interno ragiona, ed usa ogni arte
per rivocarla e farle noto il danno,
ma dietro a l'altro esterno i sensi vanno
senza al spirto di lor punto far parte.

Di carne sono, e però, infermi e gravi
capir non ponno i belli alti concetti
che manda il spirto a chi de spirto vive;

guida dunque, Signor, pria che s'aggravi
d'error più l'alma, a le sacrate rive
i miei senza 'l Tuo aiuto iniqui affetti.

Sources:

Rizzardi 29:43; Chiapetti 25:45; 1995 Bullock 58:159. Previous translation: Poss 62-63. For Key see A Note on the Italian texts

Comments:

In those editions or selections of Gambara where there has been an attempt to order the poems, this poem is paired with a sonnet probably by Veronica Franco: "Ite, pensier fallaci e vana spene" (Leave me, foolish ideas and useless hopes,). For commentary and variants see 1995 Bullock p. 159n (he quotes Rizzardi's paraphrase).
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