ER VOTO (The Vow)

Giuseppe Gioachino Belli

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Senti st'antra. A Ssan Pietro e Marcellino
Ce stanno certe moniche befane,
C'aveveno pe voto er contentino
De maggnà ttutto-quanto co le mane.

Vedi si una forchetta e un cucchiarino,
Si un cortelluccio pe ttajacce er pane,
Abbi da offenne Iddio! N'antro tantino
Leccaveno cor muso com'er cane!

Pio Ottavo però, bona-momoria,
Che vedde una matina quer porcaro,
Je disse: "Madre, e che vò dì sta storia?

Sete state avvezzate ar monnezzaro?!
Che voto! un cazzo. A dio pò dasse groria
Puro co la forchetta e cor cucchiaro".


English

Listen to this one. At San Pietro e Marcellino's church
There are such nasty nuns,
Who, as a vow, had the bad habit
Of eating food using their bare hands [1] .

Just imagine if a fork and a spoon,
A small knife for cutting bread,
Could be an offence to God! They almost
Licked the dish like dogs!

But the late Pius the Eighth,
Who one day saw that filth,
Told them: "Mother, what does all this mean?

Have you been brought up in a dump?
Damn that vow! God can be praised
Although using a fork and a spoon".

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