Light thickens

A translation of Lady Macbeth's aria from Act II of Verdi's Macbeth. The original Italian lyrics are loosely based on Act III, Scene 2 of the Scottish play.

I cále sinta, núta i aryante
ya voro mene ter alta helle!
Merina móre halya apacenya
i quáre hrúcara ye nahtuva.
Ongwe ceutaina! Umbaro nirme!
Á na carinwa carda martaina!
An i vanwannar lá ore cunya;
téna líre Esteva, lóre oiala.
Yé! Almare arcanwasse!
Turvandil, sí tye haryan!
Fírimo ilya milme
tyesse hire asie.
Ú súleo sí taltuva
i apaquenta tár.

*hrúcara ‘maleficent’, adjectivation of hrúcare, modelled on ilúcara ‘omnificent’
*tur-vandil ‘ruler-staff’, ‘sceptre’
*apaquenta ‘foretold’, ‘prophesied’ (cf. apacen- ‘foresight’)


“La luce langue, spegnesi il faro
ch’eterno scorre per gli ampi cieli!
Notte desiata provvida veli
la man colpevole che ferirà.
Nuovo delitto! Lo vuole il fato!
Compiersi debbe l'opra fatale.
Ai trapassati regnar non cale;
a loro un requiem, l’eternità.
O voluttà del soglio!
O scettro, alfin sei mio!
Ogni mortal desio
tace e s’acqueta in te.
Cadrà fra poco esanime
chi fu predetto re.”

("The light is fading, the beacon is dying
that eternally moves in the wide sky!
O desired night, you providentially veil
the guilty hand that will strike the blow.
A new crime! Fate wills it!
The fatal deed must be completed.
The dead do not care to reign;
for them a requiem, eternity.
Oh bliss of the throne!
Oh sceptre, at last you are mine!
Every mortal desire
is quieted and calmed in you.
Soon will fall lifeless
he who was prophesied king.”)