The Complete Works of William Shakespeare — Page 8
That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows
Che questo immenso palcoscenico non presenta altro che spettacoli
Whereon the stars in secret influence comment.
Sui quali le stelle commentano con segreta influenza.
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Quando percepisco che gli uomini crescono come piante,
Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky:
Incoraggiati e frenati persino dallo stesso cielo:
Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,
Si vantano nella loro linfa giovanile, poi al culmine declinano,
And wear their brave state out of memory.
E consumano il loro splendido stato fino all'oblio.
Then the conceit of this inconstant stay,
Allora il pensiero di questa incostante dimora,
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Ti pone davanti ai miei occhi nel pieno della ricchezza giovanile,
Where wasteful Time debateth with Decay
Dove il dilapidatore Tempo disputa con la Decadenza
To change your day of youth to sullied night,
Per mutare il tuo giorno di giovinezza in notte corrotta,
And all in war with Time for love of you,
E tutto in guerra col Tempo per amore di te,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.
Mentre egli ti sottrae, io ti innesto di nuovo.
But wherefore do not you a mightier way
Ma perché non combatti in modo più potente
Make war upon this bloody tyrant Time?
La guerra contro questo sanguinario tiranno Tempo?
And fortify yourself in your decay
E non ti fortifichi nel tuo declino
With means more blessed than my barren rhyme?
Con mezzi più benedetti della mia sterile rima?
Now stand you on the top of happy hours,
Ora tu stai in cima alle ore felici,
And many maiden gardens yet unset,
E molti giardini verginali ancora incolti,
With virtuous wish would bear you living flowers,
Con virtuoso desiderio ti donerebbero fiori viventi,
Much liker than your painted counterfeit:
Molto più simili a te del tuo dipinto simulacro:
So should the lines of life that life repair
Così i tratti della vita dovrebbero restaurare quella vita
Which this (Time's pencil) or my pupil pen
Che questo (pennello del Tempo) o la mia penna da scolaro
Neither in inward worth nor outward fair
Né nel valore interiore né nella bellezza esteriore
Can make you live yourself in eyes of men.
Possono farti vivere te stesso agli occhi degli uomini.
To give away yourself, keeps yourself still,
Il donarti, ti conserva comunque,
And you must live drawn by your own sweet skill.
E devi vivere ritratto dalla tua propria dolce maestria.
Who will believe my verse in time to come
Chi crederà ai miei versi nei tempi a venire
If it were filled with your most high deserts?
Se fossero colmi dei tuoi altissimi meriti?
Vocabulary
- Che
- Relative pronoun or conjunction meaning 'that' or 'which'
- questo
- Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'this one'
- immenso
- Adjective meaning 'immense', 'vast', or 'enormous'
- palcoscenico
- Noun meaning 'stage' or 'theater stage'
- non
- Adverb meaning 'not', primary negation in Italian
- presenta
- Verb meaning 'presents', 'shows', or 'exhibits'
- altro
- Pronoun or adjective meaning 'other' or 'another'
- spettacoli
- Noun plural meaning 'shows', 'spectacles', or 'performances'
- Sui
- Contraction of 'su' + 'i' meaning 'on the'
- quali
- Relative pronoun meaning 'which' or 'what'
- le
- Definite article feminine plural meaning 'the'
- stelle
- Noun plural meaning 'stars'
- commentano
- Verb meaning 'comment', 'remark', or 'discuss'
- con
- Preposition meaning 'with' or 'by'
- segreta
- Adjective meaning 'secret', 'hidden', or 'mysterious'
- influenza
- Noun meaning 'influence' or 'effect'
- Quando
- Adverb or conjunction meaning 'when'
- percepisco
- Verb meaning 'I perceive', 'I notice', or 'I sense'
- gli
- Pronoun meaning 'him', 'to him', or 'the'
- uomini
- Noun plural meaning 'men'
- crescono
- Verb meaning 'grow', 'develop', or 'increase'
- come
- Adverb or conjunction meaning 'like', 'as', or 'how'
- piante
- Noun plural meaning 'plants'
- Incoraggiati
- Adjective or past participle meaning 'encouraged' or 'urged'
- frenati
- Adjective or past participle meaning 'braked', 'restrained', or 'held back'
- persino
- Adverb meaning 'even' or 'up to'
- dallo
- Contraction of 'da' + 'lo' meaning 'from the'
- stesso
- Adjective meaning 'same' or 'very'
- cielo
- Noun meaning 'sky' or 'heaven'
- Si
- Reflexive pronoun or adverb meaning 'themselves' or 'yes'
- vantano
- Verb meaning 'boast', 'brag', or 'pride themselves'
- nella
- Contraction of 'in' + 'la' meaning 'in the'
- loro
- Pronoun meaning 'their', 'theirs', or 'them'
- linfa
- Noun meaning 'sap', 'vigor', or 'lifeblood'
- giovanile
- Adjective meaning 'youthful', 'juvenile', or 'young'
- poi
- Adverb meaning 'then', 'afterwards', or 'later'
- al
- Contraction of 'a' + 'il' meaning 'to the'
- culmine
- Noun meaning 'peak', 'apex', or 'climax'
- declinano
- Verb meaning 'decline', 'wane', or 'diminish'
- consumano
- Verb meaning 'consume', 'waste', or 'squander'
- il
- Definite article masculine singular meaning 'the'
- splendido
- Adjective meaning 'splendid', 'magnificent', or 'brilliant'
- stato
- Noun meaning 'state', 'condition', or 'status'
- fino
- Preposition or adverb meaning 'until' or 'up to'
- all
- Contraction of 'a' + 'l' meaning 'to the'
- oblio
- Noun meaning 'oblivion', 'forgetfulness', or 'oblivion'
- Allora
- Adverb meaning 'then', 'at that time', or 'so'
- pensiero
- Noun meaning 'thought', 'idea', or 'reflection'
- di
- Preposition meaning 'of' or 'from'
- incostante
- Adjective meaning 'inconstant', 'unstable', or 'fleeting'
- dimora
- Noun meaning 'dwelling', 'residence', or 'abode'
- Ti
- Pronoun meaning 'you' (indirect or reflexive)
- pone
- Verb meaning 'places', 'puts', or 'sets'
- davanti
- Adverb or preposition meaning 'before', 'in front of'
- ai
- Contraction of 'a' + 'i' meaning 'to the'
- miei
- Possessive adjective meaning 'my'
- occhi
- Noun plural meaning 'eyes'
- nel
- Contraction of 'in' + 'il' meaning 'in the'
- pieno
- Adjective or noun meaning 'full' or 'fullness'
- ricchezza
- Noun meaning 'richness', 'wealth', or 'abundance'
- Dove
- Adverb meaning 'where' or 'wherever'
- dilapidatore
- Noun meaning 'spendthrift', 'squanderer', or 'wastrel'
- Tempo
- Noun meaning 'time', 'weather', or 'tense'
- disputa
- Verb or noun meaning 'disputes', 'contests', or 'debate'
- la
- Definite article feminine singular meaning 'the'
- Decadenza
- Noun meaning 'decadence', 'decline', or 'decay'
- Per
- Preposition meaning 'for', 'to', or 'in order to'
- mutare
- Verb meaning 'change', 'transform', or 'alter'
- tuo
- Possessive adjective meaning 'your' (singular)
- giorno
- Noun meaning 'day' or 'daylight'
- giovinezza
- Noun meaning 'youth' or 'youthfulness'
- in
- Preposition meaning 'in', 'into', or 'within'
- notte
- Noun meaning 'night' or 'darkness'
- corrotta
- Adjective meaning 'corrupted', 'depraved', or 'wicked'
- tutto
- Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all', 'everything', or 'whole'
- guerra
- Noun meaning 'war' or 'conflict'
- col
- Contraction of 'con' + 'il' meaning 'with the'
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