SONGS OF TERROR AND LOVE
( Texts by Jacopone Da Todi ca. 1303 . English Version by Frank Corcoran 2010 )
1. Chi pro Cristo va empazzato / Pare aflitto e tribulato ! / Chi pro Cristo ne va pazzo / Alla gente si par matto ! / Chi vuol entrar in questa danza / Trov´ amor desmesurata !
He who raves for Christ´s insane / Most afflicted his great pain ! / Who for Christ loses his mind / He looks lost to all mankind! / But he who begins with this dancing / Measureless
love he´s sure to find !
2. Allegom´en sseppultura / Un ventri lupo envoratura ! / E l´arliquie en cacatura / In espineta, e rogatura !
I chose for my last tomb and shroud / A wolf´s belly after he´s devoured / Me ! My last remains that wolf´s shit / In among thorns in a deep pit !
3. Che farai, Fra Jacovone ? Ei venuto al paragone ! / / Well, what now, Fra Jacovone ? Now you´ve come to your trial ! The lodgings that they gave me is a hole underground. No denial !
Una casa sotterata; aréscece una privata ! / Non fa fragar de moscone ! / / Here a stinking jakes disgorges ! It won´t smell of perfumed roses !
They placed my legs in leg-irons . These rustle like sirens ! / / Porto jette de sparveri . Sonnegliano nel mio giro ! / Nova danza ce po´odire che sta appresso mia stazone / /
Listen askance ! / – You can hear my new dance !
4. O Papa Bonifazio ! Molt´hai jocato ´l mundo ! Penso me , che jocondo non te´n porrai partire ! / Per subita ruina, Ei preso´n tua masone !! / E null´om se trovone a poterti guarire ! / /
Oh Pope Bonifazio , with the world you played : ” Peek! Oh! ” / Yet I judge that your dying / Will be more than mere sighing ! / Your ruin has reached you / In your palace it´s breached you
! No doctor can heal you ! No nurse dare feel you ! / / El mundo nunne´cavallo / Che sse lass´enfranare ! / Che´l pozzi cavalcare ! / Secondo tu´volere ! / /
This world´s not a race-horse / To goad on with your spurs ! / To rein in at your whim / Till with your desires it concurs ! / /
Dell´aneme redente / Par che ne curi poco ! / La ve´t´accunc´ il loco / Saperai lo al partire ! / /
It´s not all souls´ salvation / It´s you´ve reaped your own damnation / At your parting thus, your passing / You will find out your destination !
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