Poderoso Caballero es Don Dinero
Francisco De Quevedo| Original | Traduzione inglese di Thomas Walsh |
| PODEROSO CABALLERO ES DON DINERO Madre, yo al oro me humillo, Él es mi amante y mi amado, Pues de puro enamorado De contino anda amarillo. Que pues doblón o sencillo Hace todo cuanto quiero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero. Nace en las Indias honrado, Donde el Mundo le acompaña; Viene a morir en España, Y es en Génova enterrado. Y pues quien le trae al lado Es hermoso, aunque sea fiero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero. Es galán, y es como un oro, Tiene quebrado el color, Persona de gran valor, Tan Cristiano como Moro. Pues que da y quita el decoro Y quebranta cualquier fuero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero. Son sus padres principales, Y es de nobles descendiente, Porque en las venas de Oriente Todas las sangres son Reales. Y pues es quien hace iguales Al duque y al ganadero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero. Mas ¿a quién no maravilla Ver en su gloria, sin tasa, Que es lo menos de su casa Doña Blanca de Castilla? Pero pues da al bajo silla Y al cobarde hace guerrero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero. [Sus escudos de Armas nobles Son siempre tan principales, Que sin sus Escudos Reales No hay Escudos de armas dobles. Y pues a los mismos robles Da codicia su minero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero.] Por importar en los tratos Y dar tan buenos consejos, En las Casas de los viejos Gatos le guardan de gatos. Y pues él rompe recatos Y ablanda al juez más severo, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero. [Y es tanta su majestad (Aunque son sus duelos hartos), Que con haberle hecho cuartos, No pierde su autoridad. Pero pues da calidad Al noble y al pordiosero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero.] Nunca vi Damas ingratas A su gusto y afición, Que a las caras de un doblón Hacen sus caras baratas. Y pues las hace bravatas Desde una bolsa de cuero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero. [Más valen en cualquier tierra, (Mirad si es harto sagaz) Sus escudos en la paz Que rodelas en la guerra. Y pues al pobre le entierra Y hace proprio al forastero, Poderoso Caballero Es don Dinero.] | THE LORD OF DOLLARS Over kings and priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. Mother, unto gold I yield me, He and I are ardent lovers; Pure affection now discovers How his sunny rays shall shield me! For a trifle more or less All his power will confess, Over kings and priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. In the Indies did they nurse him, While the world stood round admiring; And in Spain was his expiring; And in Genoa did they hearse him; And the ugliest at his side Shines with all of beauty's pride; Over kings and priests awl scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. He's a gallant, he's a winner, Black or white be his complexion; He is brave without correction As a Moor or Christian sinner. He makes cross and medal bright, And he smashes laws of right,— Over kings and priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. Noble are his proud ancestors For his blood-veins are patrician; Royalties make the position Of his Orient investors; So they find themselves preferred To the duke or country herd,— Over kings and priests and scholars, Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars! Of his standing who can question When there yields unto his rank, a Hight-Castillian Doña Blanca, If you follow the suggestion?— He that crowns the lowest stool, And to hero turns the fool,— Over kings and priests and scholars, Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. On his shields are noble bearings; His emblazonments unfurling Show his arms of royal sterling All his high pretensions airing; And the credit of his miner Stands behind the proud refiner, Over kings and priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. Contracts, bonds, and bills to render, Like his counsels most excelling, Are esteemed within the dwelling Of the banker and the lender. So is prudence overthrown, And the judge complaisant grown,— Over kings and priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. Such indeed his sovereign standing (With some discount in the order), Spite the tax, the cash-recorder Still his value fixed is branding. He keeps rank significant To the prince or finn in want,— Over kings and Priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. Never meets he dames ungracious To his smiles or his attention, How they glow but at the mention Of his promises capacious! And how bare-faced they become To the coin beneath his thumb Over kings and Priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. Mightier in peaceful season (And in this his wisdom showeth) Are his standards, than when bloweth War his haughty blasts and breeze on; In all foreign lands at home, Equal e'en in pauper's loam,— Over kings and priests and scholars Rules the mighty Lord of Dollars. |
