A Daily Countdown to 700 Years with the “colpi d’Amor”
“Benedetto sia ‘l giorno, et ‘l mese, et l’anno, / et la stagione, e’l tempo, et l’ora, e ‘l punto…” — Rvf 61
“Blessed be the day, and the month, and the year, and the season, and the time, and the hour, and the moment…”(Kline).
Io son sí stanco sotto ‘l fascio antico
de le mie colpe et de l’usanza ria
ch’i’ temo forte di mancar tra via,
et di cader in man del mio nemico.
Ben venne a dilivrarmi un grande amico
per somma et ineffabil cortesia;
poi volò fuor de la veduta mia,
sí ch’a mirarlo indarno m’affatico.
Ma la sua voce anchor qua giú rimbomba:
O voi che travagliate, ecco ‘l camino;
venite a me, se ‘l passo altri non serra.
Qual gratia, qual amore, o qual destino
mi darà penne in guisa di colomba,
ch’i’ mi riposi, et levimi da terra?
I’m so wearied by the ancient burden,
of these faults of mine, and my sinful ways,
that I’ve a deep fear of erring on the road,
and falling into my enemy’s hands.
A great friend came to rescue me,
with noble and ineffable courtesy:
then flew away, far from my sight,
so that I strive to see him, but in vain.
But his voice still echoes down here:
‘Come unto me: all you that labour
behold the path, if no one blocks the way.’
What grace, what love, O what destiny
will grant me the wings of a dove,
to lift from the earth, and be at rest?