Cecco Angiolieri - If I were fire

 

If I were fire (Translation)

If I were fire, I would burn the world;
if I were wind, I would bestorm it;
if I were water, I would drown it;
if I were God, I would hurl it into the deep;

If I were Pope, I would be happy then,
as I would harry all the Christians;
if I were emperor, d’you know what I would do?
I would chop off all their heads completely (like a rotary scythe).

If I were death, I would go to my father;
if I were life, I would run from him,
and I would do the same for my mother.

If I were Cecco, as I am and have been,
I would take for myself all the young and pretty women,
and leave the lame and ugly ones for others.

 

 

Cecco Angiolieri - Wikipedia
a contemporary of Dante Alighieri

S'i' fosse foco, ardere' il mondo;
s'i' fosse vento, lo tempestarei;
s'i' fosse acqua, i' l'annegherei;
s'i' fosse Dio, mandereil'en profondo;

s'i' fosse papa, serei allor giocondo,
ché tutti cristïani embrigarei;
s'i' fosse 'mperator, sa' che farei?
a tutti mozzarei lo capo a tondo.

S'i' fosse morte, andarei da mio padre;
s'i' fosse vita, fuggirei da lui:
similemente faria da mi' madre,

S'i' fosse Cecco, com'i' sono e fui,
torrei le donne giovani e leggiadre:
le vecchie e laide lasserei altrui.