Quando men vo, Musetta's aria from La Bohème

Quando men vo soletta per la via, 	When I walk all alone in the street
La gente sosta e mira 			People stop and stare at me
E la bellezza mia tutta ricerca in me 	And look for my whole beauty
Da capo a pie'... 			From head to feet

Ed assaporo allor la bramosia 		And then I taste the slight yearning
Sottil, che da gli occhi traspira 	which transpires from their eyes
E dai palesi vezzi intender sa 		and which is able to perceive from manifest charms
Alle occulte beltà. 			to most hidden beauties.
Così l'effluvio del desìo 		So the scent of desire is all around me,
	tutta m'aggira, 
Felice mi fa! 				it makes me happy!

E tu che sai, che memori e ti struggi 	And you, while knowing, reminding and longing,
Da me tanto rifuggi? 			you shrink from me? 
So ben: 				I know it very well:
le angoscie tue non le vuoi dir, 	you don't want to express your anguish,
Ma ti senti morir! 			but you feel as if you're dying! 

Translated by Giuseppe Cusmano (gcusman@tin.it)