S’i’ fosse foco
Fabrizio De André| Original | La versione inglese di Dennis Criteser [2014] |
| S’I’ FOSSE FOCO S’i’ fosse foco, ardereï ’l mondo; s’i’ fosse vento, lo tempestarei; s’i’ fosse acqua, i’ l’annegherei; s’i’ fosse Dio, mandereil’ en profondo. S’i’ fosse papa, sarei allor giocondo, tutti cristïani imbrigarei; s’i’ fosse ’mperator, sa’ che farei? A tutti mozzerei lo capo a tondo S’i’ fosse morte, andarei a mi’ padre; s’i’ fosse vita, fuggirei da lui; similemente faria da mi’ madre S’i’ fosse Cecco, com’i’ sono e fui, torrei le donne giovani e leggiadre e vecchie e laide lasserei altrui. S’i’ fosse foco, ardereï ’l mondo; s’i’ fosse vento, lo tempestarei; s’i’ fosse acqua, i’ l’annegherei; s’i’ fosse Dio, mandereil’ en profondo. | IF I WERE FIRE If I were fire, I’d burn the world down. If I were wind, I would batter it with storm. If I were water, I would drown it. If I were God, I’d cast it into the depths. If I were Pope, I would be jolly, I'd get all the Christians in trouble. If I were Emperor, you know that I would chop off heads all around. If I were death, I'd go to my father’s. If I were life I would flee him, as similarly would I do from my mother. If I were Cecco, as I am and as I was, I would take the young, graceful women and leave the foul, older ones to others. If I were fire, I’d burn the world down. If I were wind, I would batter it with storm. If I were water, I would drown it. If I were God, I’d cast it into the depths. |
