A pie' de' colli ove la bella vesta

At the foot of the hill where beauty's garment

prese de le terrene membra pria

first clothed that lady with earthly members,

la donna che colui ch'a te ne 'nvia

who has often sent wakefulness to him,

spesso dal somno lagrimando desta,

who sends us to you, out of melancholy sleep,

libere in pace passavam per questa

we passed by freely in peace through this

vita mortal, ch'ogni animal desia,

mortal life, that all creatures yearn for,

senza sospetto di trovar fra via

without suspicion of finding, on the way,

cosa ch'al nostr'andar fosse molesta.

anything that would trouble our going.

Ma del misero stato ove noi semo

But in the miserable state where we are

condotte da la vita altra serena

driven from that other serene life

un sol conforto, et de la morte, avemo:

we have one solace only, that is death:

che vendetta è di lui ch'a ciò ne mena,

which is his retribution, who led him to this,

lo qual in forza altrui presso a l'extremo

he who, in another's power, near to the end,

riman legato con maggior catena.

remains bound with a heavier chain.