Original | La versione inglese di Dennis Criteser [2014]
|
FABRIZIO DE ANDRÉ: MONTI DI MOLA | MOUNTAINS OF MOLA |
| |
In li Monti di Mola, la manzana | In the Mountains of Mola, early morning, |
un'àina musteddina era pascendi. | a donkey mare, white of coat, was pasturing. |
| |
In li Monti di Mola, la manzana | In the Mountains of Mola, early morning, |
un cioano vantarricciu e moru era sfraschendi. | a sturdy young dark-haired man was cutting branches. |
E l'occhji s'intuppésini cilchendi ea ea ea ea | And their eyes met searching for water water water water, |
e l'ea sguttési da li muccichili cù li bae ae ae... | and water dripped from their snouts along with the drool ool ool. |
| |
E l'occhji la burricca aìa di lu mare, | And the donkey mare, she had eyes the color of the sea, |
e a iddu da li tivi escìa lu maestrale | and to him from her nostrils issued the Northwest Wind |
E idda si tunchjà abbeddulata, ea ea ea ea | and she brayed, enchanted, ea ea ea ea. |
iddu le rispundìa linghitontu, ae ae ae ae... | He replied to her, mispronouncing, ae ae ae ae. |
| |
"Oh bedda mea, l'àina luna | “Oh my beautiful one, moon donkey, |
la bedda mea, capitali di lana | my beautiful one, cushion of wool, |
oh bedda mea, janca fultuna..." | oh my beautiful one, white fortune.” |
"Oh beddu meu, l'occhji mi brusgi | “Oh my handsome one, you make my eyes sting, |
lu beddu meu, carrasciali di basgi | oh my handsome one, carnival of kisses, |
lu beddu meu, lu core mi cusgi." | oh my handsome one, you sew up my heart.” |
| |
Amuri mannu, di prima olta | Deep love for the first time, |
l'aba si suggi tuttu lu meli di chista multa. | the bee sucks all the honey from this myrtle. |
Amori steddu, di tutti l'ori, | Young love of all the hours, |
di petralana lu battadolu di chistu cori. | of moss is the clapper of this heart. |
| |
Ma nudda si pò fà, nudda, in Gaddura | But no one can do anything in Gallura |
che no lu ènini a sapi int'un'ura. | that doesn’t come to be known in an hour, |
E nfattu una ecchja infrascunata fea, ea ea ea | and on the scene an ugly old woman hidden in the branches, |
piagnendi e figghjulendi si dicìa cù li bae, ae ae... | crying and watching,says to herself, foaming at the mouth: |
| |
"Biata idda! Uai, che bedd'omu, | “Lucky her, mamma mia, what a handsome man. |
Biata idda! Cioanu e moru, | Lucky her, young and dark-haired. |
Biata idda! Sola mi moru. | Lucky her, I die alone. |
Biata idda! Jà ma l'ammentu, | "Lucky her, I remember it well. |
Biata idda! Più d'una olta, | Lucky her, more than one time. |
Biata idda! Ezzaia tolta!" | Lucky her, twisted old age.” |
| |
Amuri mannu, di prima olta | Deep love for the first time, |
l'aba si suggi tuttu lu meli di chista multa. | the bee sucks all the honey from this myrtle. |
Amori steddu, di tutti l'ori, | Young love of all the hours, |
di petralana lu battadolu di chistu cori. | of moss is the clapper of this heart. |
| |
E lu paesi intreu s'agghindési pa' lu coju, | The entire countryside got decked out for the wedding, |
lu pàrracu mattessi intrési in lu soju. | the same parish priest entered in his vestments. |
Ma a cujuassi no riscìsini l'àina e l'omu, | But they didn’t manage to marry, the donkey and the man, |
che da li documenti escìsini fratili in primu. | for in the documents they turned out to be first cousins. |
| |
E idda si tunchjà abbeddulata, ea ea ea ea, | And she brayed, enchanted, ea ea ea ea. |
iddu le rispundìa linghitontu, ae ae ae ae... | He responded to her, mispronouncing, ae ae ae ae. |