[Nemorino is in love with a wealthy girl, but she says she isn't interested in poor boys like him. Desperate, he buys a "love potion" that only turns out to be cheap red wine. And yet, Nemorino believes the "elixir" will work. When he sees her cry, he knows she has fallen for him at last.]
Una furtiva lagrima
Negli occhi suoi spunto:
Quelle festose giovani
Invidiar sembro.
Che piu ceracando io vo?
M'ama, lo vedo.
Un solo instante i palpiti
Del suo bel cor sentir!
I miei sospir, confondere
Per poco a' suoi sospir!
Cielo, si puo morir!
Di piu non chiedo.
[Translation:]
One Tear That Falls So Furtively
One tear that falls so furtively
from her sweet eyes has just sprung,
as if she envied all the youths
who laughingly passed her right by.
What could I want more than this?
She loves me! I see it.
One moment just to hear her heart,
beating so close next to mine,
to hear my sighs like they were hers,
her sighings as if they were mine!
Heavens, please take me now:
All that I wanted is mine now!