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."