Lyrics Michael Bolton – Che Gelida Manina

It is christmas eve on Paris’ left bank. Rodolpho is at home writing when a stranger knocks at the door. It is Mimi, a neighbor, who needs to borrow a match to relight her candle. Mimi is barely out the door, when she realizes she has lost her key. As they search for it, Rodolpho’s hand falls upon hers.

Che gelida manina!
Se la lasci riscaldar.
Cercar che giova?

Chi son? Chi son? son un poeta.
Che cosa faccio? Scrivo.
E come vivo? Vivo.
In poverta mia lieta
scialo da gran signore
rimi ed inni d’amore,
Per sogni e per chimere
e per castelli in aria
l’anima ho milionaria.
Talor del mio forziere
ruban tutti i gioelli
due ladri:gli occhi belli.
V’entrar con voi pur ora
ed i miei sogni usati,
ed i bei sogni miei
tosto si dileguar!
Ma il furto non m’accora
poiche,poiche v’ha preso stanza

Translation:

How Cold Your Little Hand Is

How cold your little hand is!
Will you let me warm it for you?
Why bother looking?
It’s dark, and we won’t find it.
It’s our good luck though,
this night’s filled with moonlight,
up here the moonlight could rest on our shoulders.
Please wait, my dear young lady,
and I will quickly tell you who stands before you, and
what I do, how I make my living.
May I?

Who am I? What am I? I am a poet.
What keeps me busy? Writing!
And what do I live on? Nothing!
In poverty I’m cheerful,
I am a prince who squanders
arias and couplets of longing.
And as for hopes and dreams of love
and castles-in-the-air, Miss-
I am a millionaire!
My fortress could be broken in,
robbed clean of the fine jewels I store-
if the thieves were eyes like yours.
And now that I have seen you,
all of my lovely dreaming,
all of the sweetest dreams I’ve dreamt,
quickly have slipped away.
This theft does not upset me,
because such treasures mean nothing
now that I’m rich with sweet hope!
And now that you have met me,
I ask you please,
Tell me, lady, who you are, I ask you please!