tentazione

Tentazione is the Italian noun for temptation. It denotes the impulse to act in a way that is morally wrong or undesirable, or the lure that leads someone to yield to such an impulse. In everyday usage, it can describe both momentary pulls and broader moral trials.

Etymology: tentazione derives from Latin tentatio "a trying, trial, temptation," from tentare "to try, to attempt." In Italian, the word is commonly used with verbs such as resistere (to resist) or cadere (to fall) into temptation; phrases like cadere in tentazione are frequent.

Religious and moral contexts: In Christian thought, temptation represents a test of virtue or faith. It may be internal, arising from desire, or external, through circumstances or agents. Most traditions distinguish temptation from sin, holding that individuals bear responsibility for their choices and may resist through discipline, prayer, or grace. The biblical narratives of Jesus being tempted in the desert and the widespread motif of the Temptation of Saint Anthony have shaped Western depictions of the issue. In Catholic teaching, temptations are not sins in themselves, but opportunities to choose between good and evil. Other faiths address temptation as a problem of moral development and ethical formation.

Secular and cultural usage: In psychology and behavioral sciences, temptation is analyzed as a decision-making problem involving goals, rewards, and self-control, with studies on impulse control and delay of gratification. In literature and art, temptation serves as a narrative device to explore character, desire, and consequences, across genres and periods.