"Notte dolorosa" (Sorrowful Night) by Giovanni Pascoli. English translation, with original Italian text. "Notte dolorosa" (Sorrowful Night) from the collection “Myricae” (1891-1900)

A Portrait of Giovanni Pascoli

The following translation of "Notte dolorosa" (Sorrowful Night) by Giovanni Pascoli is from the book "The Poems of Giovanni Pascoli: Translated in English, with Original Italian Text," published by LiteraryJoint Press (2017). Also available as Amazon ebook (Free on Kindle Unlimited!)  and also on Kobo.

Sorrowful Night

The sky moves, silent and distantly high:

the earth sleeps, wake her up he wants not;

the waters, the mountains, the moors, all asleep.

But no, for he hears the sea sighing,

hears the dark hubs groaning:

in which is a baby who cannot sleep:

he cries; and the stars slowly pass by.

From the collection “Myricae” (1891-1900)

Notte Dolorosa

Si muove il cielo, tacito e lontano:

la terra dorme, e non la vuol destare;

dormono l’acque, i monti, le brughiere.

Ma no, chè sente sospirare il mare,

gemere sente le capanne nere:

v’è dentro un bimbo che non può dormire:

piange; e le stelle passano pian piano.

From the collection “Myricae” (1891-1900)