WILLIAM BLAKE The River of Life
PARADISO – Canto XXX […] Come sùbito lampo che discetti 46 Like sudden lightning scattering the spirits li spiriti visivi, sì che priva of sight so that the eye is then too weak da l’atto l’occhio di più forti obietti, to act on other things it would perceive,
così mi circunfulse luce viva, 49 such was the living light encircling me, e lasciommi fasciato di tal velo leaving me so enveloped by its veil del suo fulgor, che nulla m’appariva. of radiance that I could see no thing.
«Sempre l’amor che queta 52 “The Love that calms this questo cielo heaven always welcomes accoglie in sé con sì fatta salute, into Itself with such a salutation, per far disposto a sua fiamma to make the candle ready il candelo.» for its flame.”
Non fur più tosto dentro a me venute 55 No sooner had these few words entered me queste parole brievi, ch’io compresi than I became aware that I was rising me sormontar di sopr’ a mia virtute; beyond the power that was mine; and such
e di novella vista mi raccesi 58 new vision kindled me again, that even tale, che nulla luce è tanto mera, the purest light would not have been so bright che li occhi miei non si fosser difesi; as to defeat my eyes, deny my sight;
e vidi lume in forma di rivera 61 and I saw light that took a river’s form – fulvido di fulgore, intra due rive light flashing, reddish-gold, between two banks dipinte di mirabil primavera. painted with wonderful spring flowerings.
Di tal fiumana uscian faville vive, 64 Out of that stream there issued living sparks, e d’ogne parte si mettien ne’ fiori, which settled on the flowers on all sides, quasi rubin che oro circunscrive; like rubies set in gold; and then, as if
poi, come inebrïate da li odori, 67 intoxicated with the odors, they riprofondavan sé nel miro gurge, again plunged into the amazing flood: e s’una intrava, un’altra n’uscia fori. as one spark sank, another spark emerged.
«L’alto disio che mo t’infiamma e urge, 70 “The high desire that now inflames, incites, d’aver notizia di ciò che tu vei, you to grasp mentally the things you see, tanto mi piace più quanto più turge; pleases me more as it swells more; but first,
ma di quest’ acqua convien che tu bei 73 that you may satisfy your mighty thirst, prima che tanta sete in te si sazi»: you must drink of these waters.” So did she così mi disse il sol de li occhi miei. who is the sun of my eyes speak to me.
Anche soggiunse: «Il fiume e li topazi 76 She added this: “The river and the gems ch’entrano ed escono e ‘l rider de l’erbe of topaz entering and leaving, and son di lor vero umbriferi prefazi. the grasses’ laughter- these are shadowy
Non che da sé sian queste cose acerbe; 79 prefaces of their truth; not that these things ma è difetto da la parte tua, are lacking in themselves; the defect lies che non hai viste ancor tanto superbe.» in you, whose sight is not yet that sublime.”
Non è fantin che sì sùbito rua 82 No infant who awakes long after his col volto verso il latte, se si svegli usual hour would turn his face toward milk molto tardato da l’usanza sua as quickly as I hurried toward that stream;
come fec’ io, per far migliori spegli 85 to make still finer mirrors of my eyes, ancor de li occhi, chinandomi a l’onda I bent down toward the waters which flow there che si deriva perché vi s’immegli; that we, in them, may find our betterment.
e sì come di lei bevve la gronda 88 But as my eyelids’ eaves drank of that wave, de le palpebre mie, così mi parve it seemed to me that it had changed its shape: di sua lunghezza divenuta tonda. no longer straight, that flow now formed a round.
Poi, come gente stata sotto larve, 91 Then, just as maskers, when they set aside che pare altro che prima, se si sveste the borrowed likenesses in which they hide, la sembianza non süa in che disparve, seem to be other than they were before,
così mi si cambiaro in maggior feste 94 so were the flowers and the sparks transformed, li fiori e le faville, sì ch’io vidi changing to such festivity before me ambo le corti del ciel manifeste. that I saw -clearly- both of Heaven’s courts.
O isplendor di Dio, per cu’ io vidi 97 O radiance of God, through which I saw l’alto trïunfo del regno verace, the noble triumph of the true realm, give dammi virtù a dir com’ïo il vidi! to me the power to speak of what I saw!
Lume è là sù che visibile face 100 Above, on high, there is a light that makes lo creatore a quella creatura apparent the Creator to the creature che solo in lui vedere ha la sua pace. whose only peace lies in his seeing Him.
E’ si distende in circular figura, 103 The shape which that light takes as it expands in tanto che la sua circunferenza is circular, and its circumference sarebbe al sol troppo larga cintura. would be too great a girdle for the sun.
Fassi di raggio tutta sua parvenza 106 All that one sees of it derives from one reflesso al sommo del mobile primo, light-ray reflected from the summit of che prende quindi vivere e potenza. the Primum Mobile, which from it draws
E come clivo in acqua di suo imo 109 power and life. And as a hill is mirrored si specchia, quasi per vedersi addorno, in waters at its base, as if to see quando è nel verde e ne’ fioretti itself -when rich with grass and flowers- opimo, graced,
sì, soprastando al lume intorno intorno, 112 so, in a thousand tiers that towered above vidi specchiarsi in più di mille soglie the light, encircling it, I saw, mirrored, quanto di noi là sù fatto ha ritorno. all of us who have won return above.
E se l’infimo grado in sé raccoglie 115 And if the lowest rank ingathers such sì grande lume, quanta è la larghezza vast light, then what must be the measure of di questa rosa ne l’estreme foglie! this Rose where it has reached its highest leaves!
Dante Alighieri – La Divina Commedia Translation in English by Allen Mandelbaum – The Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri: Paradiso – New York: Bantam
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bUNNY’s bONUs: http://youtu.be/tnPW6rl7pR4
Dante and Beatrice passing along the Arno River ~ Henry Holiday
Quint Buchholz – At the Exit
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