Venezia: No. 2, La barcheta

La note è bela,

Fa presto, o Nineta,

Andemo in barcheta

I freschi a ciapar!

A Toni g’ho dito

Ch’el felze el ne cave

Per goder sta bava

Che supia dal mar.

Ah!

Che gusto contarsela

Soleti in laguna,

E al chiaro de luna

Sentirse a vogar!

Ti pol de la ventola

Far senza, o mia cara,

Chè zefiri a gara

Te vol sventolar.

Ah!

Se gh’è tra de lori

Chi tropo indiscreto

Volesse dal pèto

EI velo strapar,

No bada a ste frotole,

Soleti za semo

E Toni el so’ remo,

Lè a tento a menar.

Ah!

Pietro Buratti (1772-1832)

Translation:

The night is beautiful.

Make haste, Nineta,

let us take to our boat

and enjoy the evening breeze.

I have asked Toni

to remove the canopy

so that we can feel the zephyr

blowing in from the sea;

Ah!

What bliss it is to exchange sweet nothings

alone on the lagoon

and by moonlight,

to be borne along in our boat!

You can lay aside

your fan, my dear,

for the breezes will vie with each other

to refresh you.

Ah!

If among them

there should be one so indiscreet

as to try to lift the veil

shielding your breast,

pay no heed to its nonsense,

for we are all alone

and Toni is much too intent

on plying his oar,

Ah!