Falsembiante
«Questo buonuon volea ch'i' rinegasse
Mendichità e gisse lavorando,
S'i' non avea che mia vita passando
Potesse, sanza c[h]'altro domandasse.
A quel consiglio mai no·m'acordasse:
Tropp 'è gran noia l'andar travagliando.
Megli' amo star davante adorando
Ched i' a lavorar m'afaticasse.
Ché 'l lavorar sì no·mi può piacere,
Néd a·cciò consentir no·mi poria,
Ché molte volte fallarei in dolere.
Più amo il manto di papalardia
Portar, perciò ch'egl[i] è mag[g]ior savere,
Ché di lui cuopr' io mia gran rinaldia.
|
False Seeming
"This good man wanted me to renounce
begging and to go to work,
if I did not have the means to support myself
without asking for more.
I would never agree to that advice:
working is too much of an annoyance!
I prefer to keep on begging
than to tire myself out by working.
For I cannot enjoy working,
nor could I agree to do this,
for I would often faint from pain.
I prefer to wear hypocrisy's mantle,
because it's the wiser thing to do,
for with it I'm able to cover up my fox-like manner."
|
|
Falsembiante
«I' sì nonn-ò più cura d'ermitag[g]i,
Né di star in diserti né 'n foresta,
Ch'e' vi cade sovente la tempesta:
Sì chito a·ssan Giovanni que' boscag[g]i!
In cittadi e 'n castella fo mie' stag[g]i
Mostrando ched i' faccia vita agresta;
Ma s'alla villa buon morsel s'aresta,
E' pur convien per forza ch'i' n'asag[g]i.
E vo dicendo ch'i' vo fuor del mondo,
Per ch'i' mi giuochi in sale e in palagi;
Ma chi vuol dire vero, i' mi v'afondo.
S'i' posso trovar via d'aver grand' agi,
Or siate certo ch'i' no·mi nascondo
[.................................-agi].
|
False Seeming
"I no longer care for hermitages,
or to live in deserts and in forests,
where storms often occur:
thus, I leave these wild places to Saint John!
I make my humble home in cities and in castles,
making it appear that I lead a harsh life;
but if some tasty morsel is found in the town,
then I must taste it for sure.
And I say how far removed I am from worldly things,
although I amuse myself in elegant rooms and palaces;
indeed, to tell the truth, I am completely immersed in the world.
If I can find a way to have great comforts,
now you can be sure that I'll not hide
[ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .].
|
|
Falsembiante
«Ancor sì m'intrametto in far mogliaz[z]o,
Altr' or fo paci, altr' or sì son sensale;
Manovaldo mi fo, ma quel cotale
Che mi vi mette, l'ab[b]iate per paz[z]o,
Ché de' suo' beni i' fo torre e palaz[z]o,
O ver be' dormitori o belle sale,
Sì che, s'egli à figl[i]uol, poco gli vale
I ben' del padre, sì 'l te ne rispaz[z]o.
E se voi aveste nulla cosa a fare
Intorno di colui con ch' i' riparo,
Diràllami, faròlla capitare;
Ma non convien mostrar ch'e' vi si' amaro
A largamente sapermi donare,
Ché 'l mi' servigio i' 'l vendo molto caro.
|
False Seeming
"Moreover, I engage myself in arranging marriages,
sometimes I am a peacemaker, other times an agent;
I become an administrator, but whoever
has me do that, you should consider him crazy,
for from his properties I gain towers and palaces,
or beautiful bedrooms and lovely halls,
so that, if he has a son, little good his father's properties
will do him, because I sweep them all away.
And if you were to cook up a business deal
with one of my associates,
he'll tell me, and I'll make it happen;
but you don't have to show your displeasure
over having to pay me generously,
for I sell my service at a very high price."
|
|
Falsembiante
«I' sì son de' valletti d'Antecristo,
Di quel' ladron' che dice la Scrittura
Che fanno molto santa portatura,
E ciaschedun di loro è ipocristo.
Agnol pietoso par quand' uon l'à visto,
Di fora sì fa dolze portatura;
Ma egli è dentro lupo per natura,
Che divora la gente Gesocristo.
Così ab[b]iamo impreso mare e terra,
E sì facciàn per tutto ordinamento:
Chi no·l'oserva, di[ci]àn c[h]'a fede erra.
Tanto facciàn co·nostro tradimento
Che tutto 'l mondo à preso co·noi guerra;
Ma tutti gli mettiamo a perdimento.
|
False Seeming
"I'm one of the servants of Antichrist,
one of those thieves who, according to the Bible,
have a very saintly appearance,
and each one of them is a hypocrite.
To those who see him, he seems a pious lamb,
so mild is his external appearance;
but inside he is a wolf by nature,
who devours the people of Jesus Christ.
In this way we have conquered land and sea,
and thus we give orders throughout the world:
those who do not follow our rules, we say they stray from the faith.
With our treachery we do so much
that everyone has declared war on us;
but we are able to defeat them all."
|
|
Falsembiante
«Sed i' truovo in cittade o in castello,
Colà ove paterin sia riparato,
Crede[n]te ched e' sia o consolato,
Od altr' uon, ma' ch'e' sïa mio ribello,
O prete ched e' sia o chericello
Che tenga amica, o giolivo parlato,
E' convien che per me sia gastigato,
Ché ciaschedun mi dotta, sì son fello.
Ancor gastigo altressì usurai
E que' che sopravendono a credenza,
Roffïane e forziere e bordelai;
E 'n ciasc[hed]uno i' ò malivogl[i]enza;
Ma, che che duol tu senti, no'l dirai,
Sì fortemente dotti mia sentenza.
|
False Seeming
"If I find a city or castle,
in which a Paterin may have taken refuge,
whether he be a credente or a consolato,
or any one else, provided he is my enemy,
whether he be a priest or a young cleric
who has a lover, or a pleasure-seeking prelate,
I must punish them all,
because everyone fears me, so wicked am I.
Moreover, I punish usurers,
and those who sell on credit with inflated prices,
ruffians and spell-binders and pimps.
For each of them I feel great hatred;
but however much pain you feel, you will not complain,
so strongly do you fear my judgment."
|
|
|