Spoon River Anthology — Page 13

English → It Full Text Level 4/10

Daisy Fraser

Did you ever hear of Editor Whedon

Avete mai sentito dell'editore Whedon

Giving to the public treasury any of the money he received

Dare all'erario pubblico parte del denaro che riceveva

For supporting candidates for office?

Per sostenere i candidati alle cariche pubbliche?

Or for writing up the canning factory

O per pubblicizzare la fabbrica di conserve

To get people to invest?

Per indurre la gente a investire?

Or for suppressing the facts about the bank,

O per occultare i fatti riguardanti la banca,

When it was rotten and ready to break?

Quando era marcia e sul punto di fallire?

Did you ever hear of the Circuit Judge

Avete mai sentito del giudice di circoscrizione

Helping anyone except the "Q" railroad,

Aiutare qualcuno che non fosse la ferrovia "Q",

Or the bankers? Or did Rev. Peet or Rev. Sibley

O i banchieri? O il reverendo Peet o il reverendo Sibley

Give any part of their salary, earned by keeping still,

Diedero mai parte del loro stipendio, guadagnato tacendo,

Or speaking out as the leaders wished them to do,

O parlando come i potenti desideravano che facessero,

To the building of the water works?

Per la costruzione dell'acquedotto?

But I—Daisy Fraser who always passed

Ma io—Daisy Fraser che passavo sempre

Along the street through rows of nods and smiles,

Per la strada tra file di cenni e sorrisi,

And coughs and words such as "there she goes."

E colpi di tosse e parole come "eccola che passa."

Never was taken before Justice Arnett

Non fui mai condotta davanti al giudice Arnett

Without contributing ten dollars and costs

Senza contribuire con dieci dollari e le spese processuali

To the school fund of Spoon River!

Al fondo scolastico di Spoon River!

Benjamin Fraser

Their spirits beat upon mine

I loro spiriti battevano contro il mio

Like the wings of a thousand butterflies.

Come le ali di mille farfalle.

I closed my eyes and felt their spirits vibrating.

Chiusi gli occhi e sentii i loro spiriti vibrare.

I closed my eyes, yet I knew when their lashes

Chiusi gli occhi, eppure sapevo quando le loro ciglia

Fringed their cheeks from downcast eyes,

Sfioravano le guance dagli occhi abbassati,

And when they turned their heads;

E quando volgevano il capo;

And when their garments clung to them,

E quando le loro vesti aderivano a loro,

Or fell from them, in exquisite draperies.

O ne cadevano, in panneggi squisiti.

Their spirits watched my ecstasy

I loro spiriti osservavano la mia estasi

With wide looks of starry unconcern.

Con ampi sguardi di stellare indifferenza.

Vocabulary

Avete: You have (plural, present tense)
mai: Never; ever (in questions)
sentito: Heard; felt (past participle)
dell: Of the (contraction of 'di + il')
editore: Publisher; one who publishes
Dare: To give; to grant or provide
all: To the; at the (contraction)
pubblico: Public; relating to the people
parte: Part; portion; side or role
del: Of the (contraction of 'di + il')
denaro: Money; currency or cash
che: That; which; who (relative pronoun)
riceveva: Received; was receiving (imperfect tense)
Per: For; in order to; by means of
sostenere: To support; to sustain or maintain
candidati: Candidates; people running for office
alle: To the; at the (feminine plural)
cariche: Positions; offices; roles or charges
pubblicizzare: To advertise; to publicize or promote
la: The (feminine singular article)
fabbrica: Factory; manufacturing plant or mill
di: Of; from; belonging to something
conserve: Preserves; canned goods or jams
indurre: To induce; to persuade or lead
gente: People; folk; persons or humanity
investire: To invest; to put money into
occultare: To hide; to conceal or cover up
fatti: Facts; deeds; events or actions
riguardanti: Concerning; regarding or relating to
banca: Bank; financial institution or bench
Quando: When; at the time that something occurs
era: Was; existed (imperfect of essere)
marcia: March; procession; movement forward
sul: On the; on (contraction)
punto: Point; moment; exactly or verge
fallire: To fail; to go bankrupt
giudice: Judge; magistrate or judicial officer
Aiutare: To help; to assist or aid
qualcuno: Someone; somebody or anyone
non: Not; negation particle in Italian
fosse: Were; was (subjunctive imperfect)
ferrovia: Railway; railroad or train line
banchieri: Bankers; financial professionals or dealers
il: The (masculine singular article)
loro: Their; theirs; to them
stipendio: Salary; wages or payment for work
guadagnato: Earned; gained or made profit
parlando: Speaking; by talking or saying
come: Like; as; how or in what way
potenti: Powerful; mighty or strong persons
desideravano: Desired; wished for or wanted
costruzione: Construction; building or structure
Ma: But; however or yet
io: I; first person singular pronoun
passavo: Passed; was passing (imperfect)
sempre: Always; forever or ever
strada: Street; road or way
tra: Between; among or in midst of
file: Lines; rows or queues of people
cenni: Nods; gestures or signs with head
sorrisi: Smiles; facial expressions of happiness
colpi: Blows; hits or strokes
tosse: Cough; respiratory reflex or sound
parole: Words; statements or speeches
passa: Passes; goes by or moves along

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