| BILTÀ DI DONNA ... | A WOMAN’S CHARMS ... | ||
| Guido Cavalcanti | tr. A.S.Kline | ||
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Biltà di donna, e di saccente core, e cavalieri armati che sien genti, cantar d’augelli e ragionar d'amore, adorni legni ’n mar forte correnti, aria serena quand’ appar l’albore, e bianca neve scender senza venti, rivera d’acqua e prato d’ogni fiore, oro e argento, azzurro ’n ornamenti, ciò passa la beltate e la valenza de la mia donna e’l su’ gentil coraggio, si che rassembra vile a chi cio guarda. E tant’ a più d’ogn’altra canoscenza, quanto lo cielo de la terra è maggio: A simil di natura ben non tarda. |
A woman’s charms, her perceptive heart Men-at-arms filled with courtesy; The song of birds, love’s reasoning art; Ships ploughing through a swelling sea; A gentle breeze in the dawn hours A windless fall of whitest snow; A flowing river, meadows all of flowers; Jewels, silver, lazuli and gold: Are outweighed in beauty and in worth By my lady, and her sweet bravery, That none would be deceived to see her; And greater than the heavens exceed the earth, Her heart’s knowledge does exceed the many. So virtue is drawn to what is like in nature. |
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Trans. Copyright © A.S.Kline 2007