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Quel vago impallidir che 'l dolce riso
d'un'amorosa nebbia ricoperse,
con tanta maiestade al cor s'offerse
che li si fece incontr'a mezzo 'l viso.
Conobbi allor sí come in paradiso
vede l'un l'altro, in tal guisa s'aperse
quel pietoso penser ch'altri non scerse:
ma vidil' io, ch'altrove non m'affiso.
Ogni angelica vista, ogni atto humile
che già mai in donna ov'amor fosse apparve,
fôra uno sdegno a lato a quel ch'i' dico.
Chinava a terra il bel guardo gentile,
et tacendo dicea, come a me parve:
Chi m'allontana il mio fedele amico?
Canzoniere 123
English translation
That wandering paleness which conceals
the sweet smile in a loving mist,
offered itself to my heart with such majesty
that it revealed the heart in the face.
Then I knew how one sees another
in paradise, her compassionate thought
showed in such a manner others did not know it:
but I saw it, since I see nothing else.
Every angelic vision, every humble act
of every lady, in whom love had appeared
would be disdained beside her I speak of.
She bent her beautiful gentle gaze to earth,
and said in silence, as it seemed to me:
'Who distances my faithful friend from me?'