Lyrics of Divina Commedia, Paradiso, Canto XI - Angelo Branduardi

Divina Commedia, Paradiso, Canto XI (original)

Intra Tupino e l’acqua che discende
Del colle eletto del beato Ubaldo
Fertile costa d’alto monte pende
Onde Perugia sente freddo e caldo
Da Porta Sole e di retro le piange
Per grave giogo Nocera con Gualdo
Di questa costa, là dov’ella frange
Più sua rattezza, nacque al mondo un Sole
Come fa questo talvolta di Gange
Ma perché io non proceda troppo chiuso
Francesco e Povertà per questi amanti
Prendi oramai nel mio parlar diffuso
La lor concordia ed i lor lieti sembianti
Amore e maraviglia e dolce sguardo
Faceano esser cagion di pensier santi:
Tanto che’l venerabile Bernardo
Si scalzò prima, e dietro a tanta pace
Corse e, correndo, gli parve di esser tardo
Né li gravò viltà di cor le ciglia
Per esser figlio di Pietro Bernardone
Né per parer dispetto a maraviglia;
Ma regalmente sua dura intenzione
Ad Innocenzio aperse, e da lui ebbe
Primo sigillo a sua religione
Poi che la gente poverella crebbe
Dietro a costui, la cui mirabil vita
Meglio in gloria del ciel si canterebbe
E poi che, per la sete del martiro
Ne la presenza del Soldan superba
Predicò Cristo e gli altri che 'l seguiro
Nel crudo sasso intra Tevere ed Arno
Da Cristo prese l’ultimo sigillo
Quando a Colui ch’a tanto ben sortillo
Piacque di trarlo suso a la mercede
Ch’el meritò nel suo farsi pusillo
A' frati suoi, sì com’a giuste rede
Raccomandò la donna sua più cara
E comandò che l’amassero a fede;
E del suo grembo l’anima preclara
Mover si volle, tornando al suo regno
Ed al suo corpo non volle altra bara

(translation)

Intra Tupino and the water that descends
Of the chosen hill of Blessed Ubaldo
Fertile coast of high mountain slopes
Onde Perugia feels cold and hot
From Porta Sole and from the back he cries for them
For serious yoke Nocera with Gualdo
Of this coast, where it fringes
More rectitude than she, a Sun was born into the world
How does this sometimes of Ganges
But lest I proceed too closed
Francis and Poverty for these lovers
Take by now in my widespread talk
Their harmony and their happy semblants
Love and wonder and sweet gaze
Let them be the cause of holy thoughts:
So much so that the venerable Bernard
He got undressed first, and behind so much peace
He ran and, as he ran, it seemed to him that he was late
Nor did cowardice burden them with their lashes
To be the son of Pietro Bernardone
Neither out of spite to surprise;
But royally his hard intention
To Innocentius he opened, and from him he received
First seal to his religion
Then the poor people grew up
Behind him, whose wonderful life
Better to sing in glory of heaven
And then that, for the thirst of the martyr
Neither the presence of the Soldan is superb
He preached Christ and the others that I will follow him
In the raw stone between the Tiber and Arno rivers
From Christ he took the last seal
When to Him who has so well done it
He liked to bring him to the mercy
Ch'el deserved in his becoming pusillo
To his friars, as well as to just rede
He recommended his dearest woman
And he commanded that they love him in faith;
And the soul precluded from his womb
Mover wanted, returning to his kingdom
And to his body he didn't want another coffin