Lyrics and translation Roberto Murolo - Lu Cardillo

Lu Cardillo

Sto crescenno nu bello cardillo
Quanta cose che l'aggio 'mpara
Adda ire da chisto e da chillo
Ll'immasciate po' m'adda purta

Siente cca', bello mio, lloco 'nnanze
C'e' na casa e 'na nenna 'nc'e' stà
Tu la vide ca nun è distante
Chella nenna aje da ire a truvà

Si la truove ca stace durmenno
Pe' 'na fata gue' nun 'a piglia
Nu rummore nun fa cu li penne
Guè cardì, tu l'avissa scetà

Si affacciata po' stà a lu barcone
Pe' na rosa l'avisssa piglià
Gue' cardi', vi' ca lla' nun te stuone
Va', vattenne cardi', n'addurà

Si la truove che face l'ammore
'Stu curtiello annascunnete cca
'Nficcancillo deritto allu core
E lu sango tu m'aje da purtà

Ma si pensa vattè chianu chianu
Zitto zitto te nce aje d'azzeccà
Si afferrà po' te vo' co' la mano
Priesto 'mpietto tu l'aje da zumpà

Si te vasa o t'afferra cianciosa
Tanno tu l'aje a dire accussì
"Lu patrone pe' te nun reposa
Puveriello pecchè adda murì"

T'accarezza te vasa "ah viato
Chiu' de me tu si certo cardì
Si cu' tico cagnarme m'è dato
Doppo voglio davvero murì"

My Sweet Nightingale

I'm raising a beautiful nightingale
She's learning so many things from me
She has to go to this one and that one
Then she has to bring me messages

Listen my dear, look ahead
There's a house and a girl who lives there
You can see it's not far
You have to go and find that girl

If you find her sleeping
Don't wake her up with a kiss
Don't make a sound with your wings
My nightingale, you must wake her up gently

If she's looking out the window
Take a rose to her
My nightingale, please don't make a sound
Go, fly away, my nightingale, bring me news

If you find her making love
Hide this knife here
Stab her right in the heart
And you must bring me her blood

But if she seems to be alone
Approach her quietly
If she reaches out her hand
Quickly, jump into her bosom

If she kisses you or holds you tenderly
Then you must tell her this
"My master has no rest because of you
Poor boy, why must he die?"

She'll caress you, kiss you, "Oh, how fortunate
You are dearer to me than life itself, my nightingale
If I could only trade places with you
Then I would truly want to die."