Click On Link To Display Lines in Main Poem Browser Par Canto II Lines 1-18

1	O voi che siete in piccioletta barca,	O you, eager to hear more,
2	desiderosi d'ascoltar, seguiti	who have followed in your little bark
3	dietro al mio legno che cantando varca,	my ship that singing makes its way,
4	tornate a riveder li vostri liti:	turn back if you would see your shores again.
5	non vi mettete in pelago, ché forse,	Do not set forth upon the deep,
6	perdendo me, rimarreste smarriti.	for, losing sight of me, you would be lost.
7	L'acqua ch'io prendo già mai non si corse;	The seas I sail were never sailed before.
8	Minerva spira, e conducemi Appollo,	Minerva fills my sails, Apollo is my guide,
9	e nove Muse mi dimostran l'Orse.	nine Muses point me toward the Bears.
10	Voialtri pochi che drizzaste il collo	You other few who craned your necks in time
11	per tempo al pan de li angeli, del quale	to reach for angels' bread, which gives us life on earth,
12	vivesi qui ma non sen vien satollo,	yet never leaves us satisfied,
13	metter potete ben per l'alto sale	you may indeed set out, your ship afloat
14	vostro navigio, servando mio solco	upon the salty deep, keeping to the furrow
15	dinanzi a l'acqua che ritorna equale.	I have made, before the sea goes smooth again.