L ' I N F E R N O

DANTE:
INF C1 1-3 / DANTE INF C1 1-3 / TRANSLATION BY A.S.KLINE
Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita In the middle of the journey of our life,
mi ritrovai per una selva oscura, I came to myself, in a dark wood,
ché la diritta via era smarrita. where the direct way was lost.
INF C1 4-6 / DANTE
Ahi quanto a dir qual era è cosa dura It is a hard thing to speak of,
esta selva selvaggia e aspra e forte how wild, harsh and impenetrable that wood was,
che nel pensier rinova la paura! so that thinking of it recreates the fear.
INF C1 7-9 / DANTE
Tant' è amara che poco è più morte; It is scarcely less bitter than death:
ma per trattar del ben ch'i' vi trovai, but, in order to tell of the good that I found there,
dirò de l'altre cose ch'i' v'ho scorte. I must tell of the other things I saw there.
THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT ENGLISH VERSIONS OF [C1 1-3]. DANTE TRIES
PERHAPS HALF A DOZEN FROM THOSE BELOW, PAUSING BETWEEN EACH.
HE STILL DOES NOT KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO.
DANTE: DANTE:
INF C1 1-3 / LONGFELLOW INF C1 1-3 / SINGLETON
Midway upon the journey of our life Midway in the journey of our life
I found myself within a forest dark, I found myself in a dark wood,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost. for the straight way was lost.
INF C1 1-3 / PHILLIPS INF C1 1-3 / ELLIS
Just halfway through this journey of our life Halfway through our trek in life
I reawoke to find myself inside I found myself in this dark wood,
a dark wood, way off course, the right road lost. miles away from the right road.
INF C1 1-3 / MUSA INF C1 1-3 / BOTTRALL
Midway along the journey of our life Midway in human life's allotted span,
I woke to find myself in some dark woods, I found myself in a dark wood,
for I had wandered off from the straight path. where the straight path I sought in vain.
INF C1 1-3 / HEANEY INF C1 1-3 / CARY
In the middle of the journey of our life In the midway of this our mortal life
I found myself astray in a dark wood I found me in a gloomy wood, astray
where the straight road had been lost sight of. Gone from the path direct:
INF C1 1-3 / CIARDI INF C1 1-3 / MANDELBAUM
Midway in our life's journey, I went astray When I had journeyed half of our life's way,
from the straight road and woke to find myself I found myself within a shadowed forest,
alone in a dark wood. for I had lost the path that does not stray.
INF C1 1-3 / BICKERSTETH INF C1 1-3 / SISSON
At midpoint of the journey of our life Halfway along the road we have to go
I woke to find me astray in a dark wood, I found myself obscured in a great forest,
perplexed by paths with the straight way at strife. Bewildered, and I knew I had lost the way.
INF C1 1-3 / ZIMMERMAN INF C1 1-3 / COTTER
In the middle of our life's way Halfway through the journey we are living
I found myself in a wood so dark I found myself deep in a darkened forest,
That I couldn't tell where the straight path lay. For I had lost all trace of the straight path.
INF C1 1-3 / UNKNOWN INF C1 1-3 / NORTON
One night, when half my life behind me lay, Midway upon the journey of our life
I wandered from the straight lost path afar. I found myself in a dark wood,
Through the great dark was no releasing way; where the right way was lost.
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