Italian Poem

An Italian Poem of the 13th Century

By Cecco Angiolieri a poet who lived in Siena, Italy in the XIII and XIV centuries:

S' i' fosse foco, arderei 'l mondo;
s' i' fosse vento, lo tempesterei;
s' i' fosse acqua, i' l'annegherei,
s' i' fosse Dio, mandereil' en profondo;
s' i' fosse papa, sare' allor giocondo,
ché tutt' i cristiani imbrigherei;
s' i' fosse 'mperator, sa' che farei?
a tutti mozzerei lo capo a tondo.
S' i' fosse morte, andarei da mio padre;
s' i' fosse vita, fuggirei da lui:
similmente farìa da mi' madre.
S' i' fosse Cecco, com' i' sono e fui,
torrei le donne giovani e leggiadre,
e vecchie e laide lasserei altrui.

Translation:

If I was fire I would burn up the world;
If I was wind, I would blow it apart;
If I was water, I would drown it,
If I was God I would throw it into the pit,
If I was the pope I would be doing fine
And cut off all the Christians’ nuts;
If I was Empereor, what would I do?
I would cut off everyone’s heads with one blow.
If I was death, I would embrace my father;
If I was life, I would run away from him:
Likewise with my mother.
If I was Cecco, as I am and always have been,
I would take all the young and good-looking women
And leave the ugly ones for everyone else.

Another translation

If I was fire, I’d burn the world,
if I was wind, I’d storm it,
if I was water, I’d flood it,
if I was God, I’d send it in the deep Hell.
If I was Pope, then I’d be happy, because all Christians I’d cheat,
if I was Emperor, do you know what I’d do, I would cut the heads to everybody.
If I was Death, I’d go to my father,
if I was Life, I’d get out of him, the same I’d do with my mother.
If I was Cecco, like I am and have been,
I’d keep the young and beautiful women with me
while the old and dirty I’d leave to the others.