| PARADISO CANTO 11 |
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PARADISO CANTO 11 |
| O insensata cura de' mortali, |
11.1 |
I |
O senseless cares of mortals, how deceiving |
| quanto son difettivi silogismi |
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are syllogistic reasonings that bring |
| quei che ti fanno in basso batter l'ali! |
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your wings to flight so low, to earthly things! |
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| Chi dietro a iura e chi ad amforismi |
11.4 |
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One studied law and one the Aphorisms |
| sen giva, e chi seguendo sacerdozio, |
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of the physicians; one was set on priesthood |
| e chi regnar per forza o per sofismi, |
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and one, through force or fraud, on rulership; |
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| e chi rubare e chi civil negozio, |
11.7 |
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one meant to plunder, one to politick; |
| chi nel diletto de la carne involto |
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one labored, tangled in delights of flesh, |
| s'affaticava e chi si dava a l'ozio, |
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and one was fully bent on indolence; |
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| quando, da tutte queste cose sciolto, |
11.10 |
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while I, delivered from our servitude |
| con Bëatrice m'era suso in cielo
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PE |
to all these things, was in the height of heaven |
| cotanto glorïosamente accolto. |
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with Beatrice, so gloriously welcomed. |
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| Poi che ciascuno fu tornato ne lo |
11.13 |
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After each of those spirits had returned |
| punto del cerchio in che avanti s'era, |
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to that place in the ring where it had been, |
| fermossi, come a candellier candelo. |
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it halted, like a candle in its stand. |
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| E io senti' dentro a quella lumera |
11.16 |
PE |
And from within the splendor that had spoken |
| che pria m'avea parlato, sorridendo
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to me before, I heard him, as he smiled— |
| incominciar, faccendosi più mera: |
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become more radiant, more pure—begin: |
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| "Così com' io del suo raggio resplendo, |
11.19 |
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“Even as I grow bright within Its rays, |
| sì, riguardando ne la luce etterna,
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D |
so, as I gaze at the Eternal Light, |
| li tuoi pensieri onde cagioni apprendo. |
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I can perceive your thoughts and see their cause. |
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| Tu dubbi, e hai voler che si ricerna |
11.22 |
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You are in doubt; you want an explanation |
| in sì aperta e 'n sì distesa lingua |
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in language that is open and expanded, |
| lo dicer mio, ch'al tuo sentir si sterna, |
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so clear that it contents your understanding |
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| ove dinanzi dissi: 'U' ben s'impingua,' |
11.25 |
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of two points: where I said, ‘They fatten well,’ |
| e là u' dissi: 'Non nacque il secondo'; |
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and where I said, ‘No other ever rose’— |
| e qui è uopo che ben si distingua. |
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and here one has to make a clear distinction. |
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| La provedenza, che governa il mondo |
11.28 |
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The Providence that rules the world with wisdom |
| con quel consiglio nel quale ogne aspetto |
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so fathomless that creatures’ intellects |
| creato è vinto pria che vada al fondo, |
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are vanquished and can never probe its depth, |
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| però che andasse ver' lo suo diletto |
11.31 |
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so that the Bride of Him who, with loud cries, |
| la sposa di coluiN
The Church
ch'ad alte grida
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had wed her with His blessed blood, might meet |
| disposò lei col sangue benedetto, |
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her Love with more fidelity and more |
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| in sé sicura e anche a lui più fida, |
11.34 |
I |
assurance in herself, on her behalf |
| due principi ordinò in suo favore, |
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commanded that there be two princes, one |
| che quinci e quindi le fosser per guida. |
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on this side, one on that side, as her guides. |
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| L'un fu tutto serafico in ardore;
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11.37 |
PE |
One prince was all seraphic in his ardor; |
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l'altro per sapïenza in terra fue
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PE |
the other, for his wisdom, had possessed |
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di cherubica luce uno splendore.
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the splendor of cherubic light on earth. |
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| De l'un dirò, però che d'amendue |
11.40 |
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I shall devote my tale to one, because |
| si dice l'un pregiando, qual ch'om prende, |
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in praising either prince one praises both: |
| perch' ad un fine fur l'opere sue. |
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the labors of the two were toward one goal. |
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| Intra Tupino e l'acqua che discende
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11.43 |
PL |
Between Topino’s stream and that which flows |
| del colle eletto dal beato Ubaldo,
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PE |
down from the hill the blessed Ubaldo chose, |
| fertile costa d'alto monte pende, |
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from a high peak there hangs a fertile slope; |
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| onde Perugia sente freddo e caldo
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11.46 |
PL |
from there Perugia feels both heat and cold |
| da Porta Sole; e di rietro le piange
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at Porta Sole, while behind it sorrow |
| per grave giogo Nocera con Gualdo.
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Nocera and Gualdo under their hard yoke. |
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| Di questa costa, là dov' ella frange |
11.49 |
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From this hillside, where it abates its rise, |
| più sua rattezza, nacque al mondo un sole, |
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a sun was born into the world, much like |
| come fa questo talvolta di Gange.
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PL |
this sun when it is climbing from the Ganges. |
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| Però chi d'esso loco fa parole, |
11.52 |
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Therefore let him who names this site not say |
| non dica Ascesi, ché direbbe corto,
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PL |
Ascesi, which would be to say too little, |
| ma Orïente, se proprio dir vuole. |
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but Orient, if he would name it rightly. |
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| Non era ancor molto lontan da l'orto, |
11.55 |
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That sun was not yet very distant from |
| ch'el cominciò a far sentir la terra |
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his rising, when he caused the earth to take |
| de la sua gran virtute alcun conforto; |
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some comfort from his mighty influence; |
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| ché per tal donna, giovinetto, in guerra |
11.58 |
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for even as a youth, he ran to war |
| del padre corse, a cui, come a la morte, |
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against his father, on behalf of her— |
| la porta del piacer nessun diserra; |
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the lady unto whom, just as to death, |
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| e dinanzi a la sua spirital corte |
11.61 |
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none willingly unlocks the door; before |
| et coram patre le si fece unito; |
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his spiritual court et coram patre, |
| poscia di dì in dì l'amò più forte. |
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he wed her; day by day he loved her more. |
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| Questa, privata del primo marito, |
11.64 |
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She was bereft of her first husband; scorned, |
| millecent' anni e più dispetta e scura |
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obscure, for some eleven hundred years, |
| fino a costui si stette sanza invito; |
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until that sun came, she had had no suitor. |
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| né valse udir che la trovò sicura |
11.67 |
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Nor did it help her when men heard that he |
| con Amiclate, al suon de la sua voce,
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PE |
who made earth tremble found her unafraid— |
| colui ch'a tutto 'l mondo fé paura;
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PE |
serene, with Amyclas—when he addressed her; |
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| né valse esser costante né feroce, |
11.70 |
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nor did her constancy and courage help |
| sì che, dove Maria rimase giuso,
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PE |
when she, even when Mary stayed below, |
| ella con Cristo pianse in su la croce.
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PE |
suffered with Christ upon the cross. But so |
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| Ma perch' io non proceda troppo chiuso, |
11.73 |
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that I not tell my tale too darkly, you |
| Francesco e Povertà per questi amanti
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PE |
may now take Francis and take Poverty |
| prendi oramai nel mio parlar diffuso. |
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to be the lovers meant in my recounting. |
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| La lor concordia e i lor lieti sembianti, |
11.76 |
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Their harmony and their glad looks, their love |
| amore e maraviglia e dolce sguardo |
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and wonder and their gentle contemplation, |
| facieno esser cagion di pensier santi; |
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served others as a source of holy thoughts; |
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| tanto che 'l venerabile Bernardo |
11.79 |
PE |
so much so, that the venerable Bernard |
| si scalzò prima, e dietro a tanta pace |
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went barefoot first; he hurried toward such peace; |
| corse e, correndo, li parve esser tardo. |
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and though he ran, he thought his pace too slow. |
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| Oh ignota ricchezza! oh ben ferace! |
11.82 |
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O wealth unknown! O good that is so fruitful! |
| Scalzasi Egidio, scalzasi Silvestro |
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PE |
Egidius goes barefoot, and Sylvester, |
| dietro a lo sposo, sì la sposa piace. |
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behind the groom—the bride delights them so. |
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| Indi sen va quel padre e quel maestro |
11.85 |
PE |
Then Francis—father, master—goes his way |
| con la sua donna e con quella famiglia |
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with both his lady and his family, |
| che già legava l'umile capestro. |
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the lowly cord already round their waists. |
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| Né li gravò viltà di cuor le ciglia |
11.88 |
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Nor did he lower his eyes in shame because |
| per esser fi' di Pietro Bernardone,
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he was the son of Pietro Bernardone, |
| né per parer dispetto a maraviglia; |
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nor for the scorn and wonder he aroused; |
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| ma regalmente sua dura intenzione |
11.91 |
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but like a sovereign, he disclosed in full— |
| ad Innocenzio aperse, e da lui ebbe
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to Innocent—the sternness of his rule; |
| primo sigillo a sua religïone. |
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from him he had the first seal of his order. |
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| Poi che la gente poverella crebbe |
11.94 |
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And after many of the poor had followed |
| dietro a costui, la cui mirabil vita |
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PE |
Francis, whose wondrous life were better sung |
| meglio in gloria del ciel si canterebbe,
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by glory’s choir in the Empyrean, |
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| di seconda corona redimita |
11.97 |
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the sacred purpose of this chief of shepherds |
| fu per Onorio da l'Etterno Spiro |
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DPE |
was then encircled with a second crown |
| la santa voglia d'esto archimandrita. |
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by the Eternal Spirit through Honorius. |
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| E poi che, per la sete del martiro, |
11.100 |
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And after, in his thirst for martyrdom, |
| ne la presenza del Soldan superba
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PE |
within the presence of the haughty Sultan, |
| predicò Cristo e li altri che 'l seguiro,
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he preached of Christ and those who followed Him. |
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| e per trovare a conversione acerba |
11.103 |
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But, finding hearers who were too unripe |
| troppo la gente e per non stare indarno, |
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to be converted, he—not wasting time— |
| redissi al frutto de l'italica erba, |
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returned to harvest the Italian fields; |
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| nel crudo sasso intra Tevero e Arno |
11.106 |
IPL |
there, on the naked crag between the Arno |
| da Cristo prese l'ultimo sigillo,
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and Tiber, he received the final seal |
| che le sue membra due anni portarno. |
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from Christ; and this, his limbs bore for two years. |
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| Quando a colui ch'a tanto ben sortillo |
11.109 |
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When He who destined Francis to such goodness |
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piacque di trarlo suso a la mercede
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was pleased to draw him up to the reward |
| ch'el meritò nel suo farsi pusillo,
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that he had won through his humility, |
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| a' frati suoi, sì com' a giuste rede, |
11.112 |
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then to his brothers, as to rightful heirs, |
| raccomandò la donna sua più cara, |
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Francis commended his most precious lady, |
| e comandò che l'amassero a fede; |
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and he bade them to love her faithfully; |
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| e del suo grembo l'anima preclara |
11.115 |
PE |
and when, returning to its kingdom, his |
| mover si volle, tornando al suo regno, |
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bright soul wanted to set forth from her bosom, |
| e al suo corpo non volle altra bara. |
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it, for its body, asked no other bier. |
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| Pensa oramai qual fu colui che degno |
11.118 |
PE |
Consider now that man who was a colleague |
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collega fu a mantener la barca
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worthy of Francis; with him, in high seas, |
| di Pietro in alto mar per dritto segno;
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he kept the bark of Peter on true course. |
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| e questo fu il nostro patrïarca;
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11.121 |
PE |
Such was our patriarch; thus you can see |
| per che qual segue lui, com' el comanda, |
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that those who follow him as he commands, |
| discerner puoi che buone merce carca. |
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as cargo carry worthy merchandise. |
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| Ma 'l suo pecuglio di nova vivanda |
11.124 |
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But now his flock is grown so greedy for |
| è fatto ghiotto, sì ch'esser non puote |
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new nourishment that it must wander far, |
| che per diversi salti non si spanda; |
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in search of strange and distant grazing lands; |
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| e quanto le sue pecore remote |
11.127 |
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and as his sheep, remote and vagabond, |
| e vagabunde più da esso vanno, |
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stray farther from his side, at their return |
| più tornano a l'ovil di latte vòte. |
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into the fold, their lack of milk is greater. |
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| Ben son di quelle che temono 'l danno |
11.130 |
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Though there are some indeed who, fearing harm, |
| e stringonsi al pastor; ma son sì poche, |
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stay near the shepherd, they are few in number— |
| che le cappe fornisce poco panno. |
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to cowl them would require little cloth. |
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| Or, se le mie parole non son fioche, |
11.133 |
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Now if my words are not too dim and distant, |
| se la tua audïenza è stata attenta, |
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if you have listened carefully to them, |
| se ciò ch'è detto a la mente revoche, |
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if you can call to mind what has been said, |
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| in parte fia la tua voglia contenta, |
11.136 |
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then part of what you wish to know is answered, |
| perché vedrai la pianta onde si scheggia, |
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for you will see the splinters on the plant |
| e vedra' il corrègger che argomenta |
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and see what my correction meant: ‘Where one |
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| 'U' ben s'impingua, se non si vaneggia.'" |
11.139 |
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may fatten well, if one does not stray off.’ ” |
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