’Â çímma
Fabrizio De André| Original | English translation / Traduzione inglese / Traduction anglaise... |
| ’Â ÇÍMMA | BOILED STUFFED VEAL |
| Ti t'adesciâe 'nsce l'éndegu du matin, | You will wake up in the indigo of morning |
| Ch'á luxe a l'à 'n pé 'n tèra e l'átrù i mà... | When the light has one foot on land and the other in the sea. |
| Ti t'ammiâe a ou spégiu de 'n tianin, | You'll look at yourself in the mirror of a frying pan, |
| Ou çé ou s'amnià a ou spegiu dâ ruzà. | The sky looks at itself in the mirror of rust. |
| Ti mettiâe ou brûggu réddenu'nte 'n cantùn, | You will put the well-used sorghum broom in a corner |
| Che se d'â cappa a sgûggia 'n cuxin-a á stria, | So that, if from the stove hood a witch slips into the kitchen |
| A xeûa de cuntà 'e págge che ghe sun, | Due to her counting the straws that are there, |
| 'A çimma a l'è za pinn-a, a l'è za cûxia. | The veal is already stuffed and already sewn. |
Çé serén, tèra scûa, | Clear sky, dark earth, |
| Carne ténia, nu fâte néigra, | Tender meat don’t become black, |
| Nu turnâ dûa. | Don’t come out tough. |
| Bell'oueggé, strapunta de tûttu bun, | Beautiful pillow, mattress of every good of God, |
| Prima de battezála 'ntou prebuggiun, | Before baptizing it in the aromatic herbs, |
| Cun dui aguggiuîn, dritu 'n púnta de pé, | With two huge straight needles, on tiptoe, |
| Da súrvia 'n zû, fitu ti 'a punziggè. | From above to below quick you’ll prick it. |
| Àia de lûn-a végia, de ciaêu de négia, | Air of full moon, of glimmer of fog, |
| Ch'ou cégu ou pèrde 'a testa, l'âse ou senté, | When the clergyman loses his head and the donkey the path, |
| Oudú de mà miscióu de pèrsa légia, | Smell of the sea mixed with light marjoram, |
| Cos'âtru fâ? Cos'âtru dàghe a ou çé? | What else to make, what else to give to heaven? |
Çé serén, tèra scûa, | Clear sky, dark earth, |
| Carne ténia, nu fâte néigra, | Tender meat don’t become black, |
| Nu turnâ dûa. | Don’t come out tough, |
| E 'nt'ou núme de Maria, | And in the name of Maria |
| Tûtti diaì de sta pûgnatta | All you devils, from this pot |
| Anène via! | Go away. |
| Poi vegnan a pigiàtela i câmé, | Then the house servants come to take it out for you, |
| Te lascian tûttu ou fûmmu dou toêu mesté, | They leave to you all the steam of your expertise. |
| Tucca a ou fantin à prima coutelà, | It’s the bachelor’s turn, the first cut - |
| Mangè, mangè, nu séi chi ve mangià. | Eat, eat, you don’t know who will eat you. |
Çé serén, tèra scûa, | Clear sky, dark earth, |
| Carne ténia, nu fâte néigra, | Tender meat don’t become black, |
| Nu turnâ dûa. | Don’t come out tough, |
| E 'nt'ou núme de Maria, | And in the name of Maria |
| Tûtti diaì de sta pûgnatta | All you devils, from this pot |
| Anène via! | Go away. |
