|
|
| (1) [XXXV] In quello giorno nel quale si compiea l'anno che questa donna era fatta de li cittadini di vita eterna, io mi sedea in parte ne la quale, ricordandomi di lei, disegnava uno angelo sopra certe tavolette; e mentre io lo disegnava, volsi li occhi, e vidi lungo me uomini a li quali si convenia di fare onore. | (1) On the day which completed a year since that lady had become a citizen of the Eternal Life, I was sitting in a place where, thinking of her, I was drawing an angel on some panels. And while I was drawing, I looked up and saw around me some men to whom all consideration was due. | |
| (2) E' riguardavano quello che io facea; e secondo che me fu detto poi, elli erano stati già alquanto anzi che io me ne accorgesse. Quando li vidi, mi levai, e salutando loro dissi: «Altri era testé meco, però pensava». | (2) They were watching what I was doing and, as I was then told, they had already been there some time before I became aware of their presence. When I saw them, I stood up and, greeting them, I said: "Someone was with me just now; that is why I was so deep in thought." | |
| (3) Onde partiti costoro, ritornaimi a la mia opera, cioè del disegnare figure d'angeli: e faccendo ciò, mi venne uno pensero di dire parole, quasi per annovale, e scrivere a costoro li quali erano venuti a me; e dissi allora questo sonetto, lo quale comincia: Era venuta; lo quale ha due cominciamenti, e però lo dividerò secondo l'uno e secondo l'altro. | (3) After they left, I returned to my work of drawing figures of angels and, while I was doing this, the idea came to me to write some poetry, in the nature of an anniversary poem, and to address it to those men who had just been with me. And so I wrote this sonnet which begins: Into any mind, and which has two beginnings; for this reason I divide it first according to the one, and then according to the other. | |
| (4) Dico che secondo lo primo questo sonetto ha tre parti: ne la prima dico che questa donna era già ne la mia memoria; ne la seconda dico quello che Amore però mi facea; ne la terza dico de gli effetti d'Amore. La seconda comincia quivi: amor, che; la terza quivi: Piangendo uscivan for. | (4) Now, according to the first beginning, this sonnet has three parts. In the first I say that this lady was already in my memory; in the second I tell what Love, therefore, did to me; in the third I speak of the effects of Love. The second begins: Love, who perceived, the third: Lamenting. | |
| (5) Questa parte si divide in due: ne l'una dico che tutti li miei sospiri uscivano parlando; ne la seconda dico che alquanti diceano certe parole diverse da gli altri. | (5) This last part divides into two: in the first I say that all my sighs came forth speaking; in the second I state that some spoke different words from the others. | |
| (6) La seconda comincia quivi: Ma quei. Per questo medesimo modo si divide secondo l'altro cominciamento, salvo che ne la prima parte dico quando questa donna era così venuta ne la mia memoria, e ciò non dico ne l'altro. |
(6) The second begins: but those. According to the other beginning this sonnet divides in the same way, except that in the first part I tell when it was that this lady came into my memory, while in the first beginning I do not. | |
| (7) Primo cominciamento
Era venuta ne la mente mia |
(7) First beginning: Into my mind had come the gracious image of the lady who because of her great worth was placed by His most lofty Majesty in the calm realm of Heaven where Mary reigns. | |
| (8) Secondo cominciamento
Era venuta ne la mente mia |
(8) Second beginning: Into my mind had come the gracious image of the lady for whom Love still sheds tears, just when you were attracted by her virtue to come and see what I was doing there. | |
| (9) Amor, che ne la mente la sentia, s'era svegliato nel destrutto core, e diceva a' sospiri: «Andate fore»; per che ciascun dolente si partia. |
(9) Love, who perceived her presence in my mind, and was aroused within my ravaged heart, commanded all my sighs: "Go forth from here!" And each one started on his grieving way. | |
| (10) Piangendo uscivan for de lo mio petto con una voce che sovente mena le lagrime dogliose a li occhi tristi. |
(10) Lamenting, they came pouring from my heart, together in a single voice (that often brings painful tears to my melancholy eyes); | |
| (11) Ma quei che n'uscian for con maggior pena, venian dicendo: «Oi nobile intelletto, oggi fa l'anno che nel ciel salisti». |
(11) but those escaping with the greatest pain were saying: "This day, O intellect sublime, completes a year since you rose heavenward." | |