English Edition, translated by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
| 1 | O THOU insensate care of mortal men, |
| 2 | How inconclusive are the syllogisms |
| 3 | That make thee beat thy wings in downward flight! |
| 4 | One after laws and one to aphorisms |
| 5 | Was going, and one following the priesthood, |
| 6 | And one to reign by force or sophistry, |
| 7 | And one in theft, and one in state affairs, |
| 8 | One in the pleasures of the flesh involved |
| 9 | Wearied himself, one gave himself to ease; |
| 10 | When I, from all these things emancipate, |
| 11 | With Beatrice above there in the Heavens |
| 12 | With such exceeding glory was received! |
| 13 | When each one had returned unto that point |
| 14 | Within the circle where it was before, |
| 15 | It stood as in a candlestick a candle; |
| 16 | And from within the effulgence which at first |
| 17 | Had spoken unto me, I heard begin |
| 18 | Smiling while it more luminous became: |
| 19 | Even as I am kindled in its ray, |
| 20 | So, looking into the Eternal Light, |
| 21 | The occasion of thy thoughts I apprehend. |
| 22 | Thou doubtest, and wouldst have me to resift |
| 23 | In language so extended and so open |
| 24 | My speech, that to thy sense it may be plain, |
| 25 | Where just before I said,’where well one fattens,’ |
| 26 | And where I said,’there never rose a second’; |
| 27 | And here ’tis needful we distinguish well. |
| 28 | The Providence, which governeth the world |
| 29 | With counsel, wherein all created vision |
| 30 | Is vanquished ere it reach unto the bottom, |
| 31 | (So that towards her own Beloved might go |
| 32 | The bride of Him who, uttering a loud cry, |
| 33 | Espoused her with his consecrated blood, |
| 34 | Self-confident and unto Him more faithful,) |
| 35 | Two Princes did ordain in her behoof, |
| 36 | Which on this side and that might be her guide. |
| 37 | The one was all seraphical in ardour; |
| 38 | The other by his wisdom upon earth |
| 39 | A splendour was of light cherubical. |
| 40 | One will I speak of, for of both is spoken |
| 41 | In praising one, whichever may be taken, |
| 42 | Because unto one end their labours were. |
| 43 | Between Tupino and the stream that falls |
| 44 | Down from the hill elect of blessed Ubald, |
| 45 | A fertile slope of lofty mountain hangs, |
| 46 | From which Perugia feels the cold and heat |
| 47 | Through Porta Sole, and behind it weep |
| 48 | Gualdo and Nocera their grievous yoke. |
| 49 | From out that slope, there where it breaketh most |
| 50 | Its steepness, rose upon the world a sunso |
| 51 | As this one does sometimes from out the Ganges; |
| 52 | Therefore let him who speaketh of that place, |
| 53 | Say not Ascesi, for he would say little, |
| 54 | But Orient, if he properly would speak. |
| 55 | He was not yet far distant from his rising |
| 56 | Before he had begun to make the earth |
| 57 | Some comfort from his mighty virtue feel. |
| 58 | For he in youth his father’s wrath incurred |
| 59 | For certain Dame, to whom, as unto death, |
| 60 | The gate of pleasure no one doth unlock; |
| 61 | And was before his spiritual court |
| 62 | Et coram patre unto her united; |
| 63 | Then day by day more fervently he loved her. |
| 64 | She, reft of her first husband, scorned, obscure, |
| 65 | One thousand and one hundred years and more, |
| 66 | Waited without a suitor till he came. |
| 67 | Naught it availed to hear, that with Amyclas |
| 68 | Found her unmoved at sounding of his voice |
| 69 | He who struck terror into all the world; |
| 70 | Naught it availed being constant and undaunted, |
| 71 | So that, when Mary still remained below, |
| 72 | She mounted up with Christ upon the cross? |
| 73 | But that too darkly I may not proceed, |
| 74 | Francis and Poverty for these two lovers |
| 75 | Take thou henceforward in my speech diffuse. |
| 76 | Their concord and their joyous semblances, |
| 77 | The love, the wonder, and the sweet regard, |
| 78 | They made to be the cause of holy thoughts; |
| 79 | So much so that the venerable Bernard |
| 80 | First bared his feet, and after so great peace |
| 81 | Ran, and, in running, thought himself too slow. |
| 82 | O wealth unknown ! O veritable good! |
| 83 | Giles bares his feet, and bares his feet Sylvester |
| 84 | Behind the bridegroom, so doth please the bride! |
| 85 | Then goes his way that father and that master, |
| 86 | He and his Lady and that family |
| 87 | Which now was girding on the humble cord; |
| 88 | Nor cowardice of heart weighed down his blow |
| 89 | At being son of Peter Bernardone, |
| 90 | Nor for appearing marvellously scorned; |
| 91 | But regally his hard determination |
| 92 | To Innocent he opened, and from him |
| 93 | Received the primal seal upon his Order. |
| 94 | After the people mendicant increased |
| 95 | Behind this man, whose admirable life |
| 96 | Better in glory of the heavens were sung, |
| 97 | Incoronated with a second crown |
| 98 | Was through Honorius by the Eternal Spirit |
| 99 | The holy purpose of this Archimandrite. |
| 100 | And when he had, through thirst of martyrdom, |
| 101 | In the proud presence of the Sultan preached |
| 102 | Christ and the others who came after him, |
| 103 | And, finding for conversion too unripe |
| 104 | The folk, and not to tarry there in vain, |
| 105 | Returned to fruit of the Italic grass, |
| 106 | On the rude rock ‘twixt Tiber and the Arno |
| 107 | From Christ did he receive the final seal, |
| 108 | Which during two whole years his members bore. |
| 109 | When He, who chose him unto so much good, |
| 110 | Was pleased to draw him up to the reward |
| 111 | That he had merited by being lowly, |
| 112 | Unto his friars, as to the rightful heirs, |
| 113 | His most dear Lady did he recommend, |
| 114 | And bade that they should love her faithfully; |
| 115 | And from her bosom the illustrious soul |
| 116 | Wished to depart, returning to its realm, |
| 117 | And for its body wished no other bier. |
| 118 | Think now what man was he, who was a fit |
| 119 | Companion over the high seas to keep |
| 120 | The bark of Peter to its proper bearings. |
| 121 | And this man was our Patriarch; hence whoever |
| 122 | Doth follow him as he commands can see |
| 123 | That he is laden with good merchandise. |
| 124 | But for new pasturage his flock has grown |
| 125 | So greedy, that it is impossible |
| 126 | They be not scattered over fields diverse; |
| 127 | And in proportion as his sheep remote |
| 128 | And vagabond go farther off from him, |
| 129 | More void of milk return they to the fold. |
| 130 | Verily me there are that fear a hurt, |
| 131 | And keep close to the shepherd; but so few, |
| 132 | That little cloth doth furnish forth their hoods. |
| 133 | Now if my utterance be not indistinct, |
| 134 | If thine own hearing hath attentive been, |
| 135 | If thou recall to mind what I have said, |
| 136 | In part contented shall thy wishes be; |
| 137 | For thou shalt see the plant that’s chipped away, |
| 138 | And the rebuke that lieth in the words, |
| 139 | ‘Where well one fattens, if he strayeth not.’ |