Via Della Croce Lyrics in English by Fabrizio De André
Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Via Della Croce by Fabrizio De André from Italian to English.
'Poterti smembrare coi denti e le mani
To be able to dismember you with teeth and hands
Sapere i tuoi occhi bevuti dai cani
to know your eyes consumed by dogs
Di morire in croce puoi essere grato
for dying on the cross you can be grateful
A un brav'uomo di nome Pilato.'
to a good man named Pilate
Ben più della morte che oggi ti vuole
Far more than the death that wants you today
T'uccide il veleno di queste parole
the poison of these words kills you
Le voci dei padri di quei neonati
the voices of the fathers of those newborns
Da Erode per te trucidati
slaughtered by Herod for you
Nel lugubre scherno degli abiti nuovi
In the grim mockery of the new clothes
Misurano a gocce il dolore che provi
they measure in drops the pain you feel
Trent'anni hanno atteso col fegato in mano
thirty years they've waited with bated breath
I rantoli d'un ciarlatano
the death rattles of a charlatan
Si muovono curve le vedove in testa
The widows in front move bent
Per loro non è un pomeriggio di festa
for them it's not an afternoon of celebration
Si serran le vesti sugli occhi e sul cuore
they pull their clothes over their eyes and heart
Ma filtra dai veli il dolore
but the pain filters through the veils
Fedeli umiliate da un credo inumano
faithful women humiliated by an inhuman creed
Che le volle schiave già prima di Abramo
that wanted them slaves already before Abraham
Con riconoscenza ora soffron la pena
with gratitude now they suffer the pain
Di chi perdonò a Maddalena
of him who forgave Magdalene
Di chi con un gesto soltanto fraterno
of him who with just a brotherly gesture
Una nuova indulgenza insegnò al Padreterno
taught a new indulgence to the Eternal Father
E guardano in alto, trafitti dal sole
and they look up, pierced by the sun
Gli spasimi d'un redentore
the spasms of a redeemer
Confusi alla folla ti seguono muti
Lost in the crowd they follow you silently
Sgomenti al pensiero che tu li saluti
dismayed at the thought that you greet them
'A redimere il mondo' gli serve pensare
"To redeem the world" they need to think
Il tuo sangue può certo bastare
your blood can certainly be enough
La semineranno per mare e per terra
They will sow it by sea and by land
Tra boschi e città la tua buona novella
between woods and cities your good news
Ma questo domani, con fede migliore
but this tomorrow, with better faith
Stasera è più forte il terrore
tonight the terror is stronger
Nessuno di loro ti grida un addio
None of them shouts you goodbye
Per esser scoperto cugino di Dio
for being discovered as God's cousin
Gli apostoli han chiuso le gole alla voce
the apostles have closed their throats to their voices
Fratello che sanguini in croce
brother who bleeds on the cross
Han volti distesi, già inclini al perdono
They have relaxed faces, already inclined to forgiveness
Ormai che han veduto il tuo sangue di uomo
now that they've seen your human blood
Fregiarti le membra di rivoli viola
adorn your limbs with purple rivulets
Incapace di nuocere ancora
incapable of harming anymore
Il potere vestito d'umana sembianza
Power dressed in human semblance
Ormai ti considera morto abbastanza
now considers you dead enough
E già volge lo sguardo a spiar le intenzioni
and already turns its gaze to spy the intentions
Degli umili, degli straccioni
of the humble, of the ragged
Ma gli occhi dei poveri piangono altrove
But the eyes of the poor cry elsewhere
Non sono venuti a esibire un dolore
they haven't come to exhibit a pain
Che alla via della croce ha proibito l'ingresso
that to the way of the cross has forbidden entry
A chi ti ama come se stesso
to him who loves you as himself
Sono pallidi al volto, scavati al torace
They're pale in the face, hollowed in the chest
Non hanno la faccia di chi si compiace
they don't have the face of one who takes pleasure
Dei gesti che ormai ti propone il dolore
in the gestures that pain now offers you
Eppure hanno un posto d'onore
yet they have a place of honor
Non hanno negli occhi scintille di pena
They don't have sparks of sorrow in their eyes
Non sono stupiti a vederti la schiena
They aren't surprised to see your back
Piegata dal legno che a stento trascini
bent by the wood you barely drag
Eppure ti stanno vicini
yet they are close to you
Perdonali se non ti lasciano solo
Forgive them if they don't leave you alone
Se sanno morir sulla croce anche loro
if they know how to die on the cross too
A piangerli sotto non han che le madri
to cry for them below they have only their mothers
In fondo, son solo due ladri
in the end, they're only two thieves
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
FABRIZIO DE ANDRE, GIAN PIERO REVERBERI
Did you like this lyrics translation?
ciarlatano — charlatan
Ciarlatano translates to "charlatan" or "quack". It's a less common word in everyday Italian, making it stand out in the lyrics.
In the context of the song, which tells the story of the Via della Croce (Way of the Cross), this word is used to describe Jesus from the perspective of his detractors. It highlights the scorn and disbelief of those who saw him as a fraud, adding a layer of historical and emotional depth to the narrative.
Did you know?
In addition to reading lyric translations, you can now learn Italian with music and lyrics from your favorite artists.
No more boring lessons. You can now learn with engaging and culturally relevant lyrics from the best artists.
Rated 4.9 · Join 250,000+ learners
Apple and App Store are trademarks of Apple Inc.
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
MORE VERIFIED TRANSLATIONS
MORE FABRIZIO DE ANDRÉ
Languages
Learn English with musicLearn Spanish with musicLearn French with musicLearn Portuguese with musicLearn Italian with musicLearn German with musicLearn Korean with musicLearn Russian with musicLearn Dutch with musicLearn Romanian with musicLearn Turkish with musicLearn Polish with musicLearn Swedish with musicLearn Finnish with music