Centre for Romanian Studies

POETRY IN TRANSLATION (CCXLV): Giuseppe Gioacchino BELLI (1791-1863), Italian Trasteverin Poet: “ “La scrupulosa”, “Scrupule”

La scrupolosa
Giuseppe Gioachino Belli
(1791-1863)

Inzomma, cazzo, se pò avé sto bbascio?
se pò ttastà un tantino er pettabbotto?
Ma nnun avé ppavura, che ffo adascio:
cuanto che ssento che cce tienghi sotto.

Ciai scrupolo? e dde cosa? E cche! tte fotto?!
Semo parenti? Sí, ppe vvia der cascio:
cuggini de cuggini: cascio cotto:
parenti come Ggnacchera e ssan Biascio.

Parenti, ggià! cche scrupoli der tarlo!
Per un bascio co mmé ttanta cusscenza,
eppoi te fai fischià ddar Padre Carlo.

Ma cche ccredi? che Cristo abbi pascenza
d’abbadà ssi tte bbascio, o ssi tte parlo?
A ste cojjonerie manco sce penza.

Roma, 22 gennaio 1833

Scrupule
Giuseppe Gioachino Belli
(1791-1863)

Ce naiba, n-o să-mi dai nici un sărut?
Nici sânul n-oi putea să ţi-l alint?
N-ai teamă, o s-am grije când te prind:
Doar vreau să aflu ce-ai pe dedesubt.

Ai scrupule? De ce? Nu suntem gata?
O să te-ncalec? Astea sunt prostii!
Suntem doar veri, doar veri, aşa cum ştii:
De-om face-o, n-o să ştie nici chiar Papa!

Incest? O, Doamne, astea-s baliverne!
Şi toate mofturile pentru un sărut!
Cu unchiul Ion ai fost sub aşternut!

Nici lui Christos nu-i pasă ce-i sub perne!
De te-aş pompa, nici naiba n-o să dea,
Căci lui, prin cap, nu-i trece-aşa ceva!

Rendered in Romanian by: Constantin ROMAN,
© 2014, Copyright Constantin ROMAN, London

BIO NOTE: A collection of his “Roman Sonnets” was first published over 20 years after his death. Several others were found during the following years (some were unfinished), and the first complete edition was published almost one century later, in 1952. Much of their vigour depends on the use of roman dialect: a play on words or a typical expression is quite unique. For this reason they have never been kept in great consideration by “official” literature.

So far, English translations have been made by Eleonore Clark, William Carlos Williams, Harold Norse, Anthony Burgess, Peter Nicholas Dale, and Belli’s work has been translated into many other languages. Each sonnet contains a short story, an anecdote of everyday’s life; the main elements of the sketch quickly unwind in the opening verses, while the last ones lead to a brilliant conclusion, often ironical or comical, sometimes lyrical or even philosophical.
See full note on:
http://www.ggbellimosetti.altervista.org/ggbelli_in_english.htm