66v

¶ Ma se la vora vivere cum ragione
E governare el corpo cum mesura
Secondo la divina ispiratione
In cosse basse pora puoco cura
Ne beni eterni fia la sua intentione
Perche nel mondo niuna cossa dura
E sopra tute queste cosse in cielo
Volando andara cum amoroso çelo

[rubric: beni temporali.]

¶ Queste cosse composte corruptibile
Che non posson durare e crescer tanto
Ch'empian la voglia egli animi sensibili
Con gran faticha se ne aquista alquanto
Et con tremor li tiene che sum fluxibile
E poi li lassa cum dolor e pianto
Che vede ben cio ch'elle sano fare
Puoco vora per epse a faticare

¶ Elle ci son prestate per nostro uxo
Son facte e poste sotto el nostro piede
Chi non a l'ochio de la mente obtuso
Li pregia tanto quanto se richiede
Ma s'enton a se arai el cor confuso
Fia come quel che a pie del scuro scende
Che per vil cossa che summa pacia
Se priva de la sua gran signoria

But if the soul wants to live by reason
and rule the body with measure,
according to the divine inspiration,
It [=the soul] will care little for trivial matters.
It will fix its attention on eternal goods,
since nothing in the world lasts forever.
And, it [=the soul] will go flying to the heavens,
above all these things, with loving zeal.

[worldly goods.]

These impure corruptible things
—that cannot last and constantly increase
to fulfill the greed of ^{1the technical, aristotilian term should be "sensitive", ie. the part of the soul characterized by movement and sensation}impressionable souls —
one acquires abundantly with great effort.
One clutches ahold of them, since they are fleeting,
and then leaves them, with sorrow and tears.
Whoever sees them for what they are
will not trouble himself with them.

These things are loaned to us for our use:
They are made, and laid at our feet.
Those who do not have an obscured view
Appreciate them on their merits.
^{2the alternate reading is more clear: ma s'entro a esse arai lo cor confuso fie come quello ch'a pie del seruo siede. We will translate this version. The Arsenal manuscript suggests the following translation: But if within you, your heart is befuddled,
It will be like one who descends into darkness
That for a vain thing that is a great madness,
He deprives himself of his own control.}
But if your heart is befuddled by them,
it would be like sitting at the feet of your servant.
For such vanities, it would be great madness
to deprive yourself of your own sovereignty.

¶ Ma se la vora vivere cum ragione
E governare el corpo cum mesura
Secondo la divina ispiratione
In cosse basse pora puoco cura
Ne beni eterni fia la sua intentione
Perche nel mondo niuna cossa dura
E sopra tute queste cosse in cielo
Volando andara cum amoroso çelo

[rubric: beni temporali.]

¶ Queste cosse composte corruptibile
Che non posson durare e crescer tanto
Ch'empian la voglia egli animi sensibili
Con gran faticha se ne aquista alquanto
Et con tremor li tiene che sum fluxibile
E poi li lassa cum dolor e pianto
Che vede ben cio ch'elle sano fare
Puoco vora per epse a faticare

¶ Elle ci son prestate per nostro uxo
Son facte e poste sotto el nostro piede
Chi non a l'ochio de la mente obtuso
Li pregia tanto quanto se richiede
Ma s'enton a se arai el cor confuso
Fia come quel che a pie del scuro scende
Che per vil cossa che summa pacia
Se priva de la sua gran signoria

But if the soul wants to live by reason
and rule the body with measure,
according to the divine inspiration,
It [=the soul] will care little for trivial matters.
It will fix its attention on eternal goods,
since nothing in the world lasts forever.
And, it [=the soul] will go flying to the heavens,
above all these things, with loving zeal.

[worldly goods.]

These impure corruptible things
—that cannot last and constantly increase
to fulfill the greed of ^{1the technical, aristotilian term should be "sensitive", ie. the part of the soul characterized by movement and sensation}impressionable souls —
and that one acquires abundantly with great effort.
One clutches ahold of them, since they are fleeting,
and then leaves them, with sorrow and tears.
Whoever sees them for what they are
will not trouble himself with them.

These things are loaned to us for our use:
They are made, and laid at our feet.
Those who do not have an obscured view
Appreciate them on their merits.
^{2the alternate reading is more clear: ma s'entro a esse arai lo cor confuso fie come quello ch'a pie del seruo siede. We will translate this version. The Arsenal manuscript suggests the following translation: But if within you, your heart is befuddled,
It will be like one who descends into darkness
That for a vain thing that is a great madness,
He deprives himself of his own control.}
But if your heart is befuddled by them,
it would be like sitting at the feet of your servant.
For such vanities it would be great madness
to deprive yourself of your own sovereignty.