Il poveretto            S. Manfredo Maggioni  Giuseppe Verdi (1813 – 1901), “Il poveretto”, 1847

Il poveretto                                                                        The poor man

Passegger, che al dolce aspetto                  Passerby that has a gentle look

Par che serbi un gentil cor,                         And seems to have a good heart,

Porgi un soldo al poveretto                        Give this poor man a penny

Che da man digiuno è ancor.                      Because today he hasn’t had a thing to eat.

Fin da quando era figliuolo                        From the time I was a boy

Sono stato militar                                        I was a soldier;

E pugnando pel mio suolo                          Fighting for my country

Ho trascorso e terra e mar;                        I have crossed land and sea

Ma or che il tempo su me pesa,                  But now that I’m burdened by years

Or che forza più non ho,                              Now that my strength is gone

Fin la terra che ho difesa,                            Even the land that I have defended,

La mia patria m’obliò.                                 My homeland has forgotten me.