To Cadalus, not the pope but the ancient serpent (a dedication)
He is no longer guilty if he punishes his sin by lamenting;
But should he repeat the sin, he is doubly arrogant.
Whoever punishes (his own) sin through weeping, ceases to be a sinner;
The redoubled arrogance exacerbates (makes more outrageous) the sin which has been begun,
First you destroyed the city with murder, now you destroy the whole world with gold;
Alas the sword of gold is more savage than the sword of iron.
Killing the city with murder, now you destroy the world with gold.
Alas the sword of gold is more savage than the sword of iron.
The first reaches to the soul, the second only wounds the flesh,
Where the it holds fast some shiny piece of metal.
The one (gold) reaches to the soul, the other (iron) makes the outside flesh bloody,
And the vein of glittering metal holds the force of a javelin/spear.
It makes no difference whether someone is killed with iron or gold.
What does it matter, whether one is killed with a golden weapon or a black?
It does not matter whether each person is being destroyed by iron or gold.
What does it (help) please, whether someone kills with bright or dark weapons?
You brandish both these wretched weapons, you murderer, and leave killing fields everywhere.
You shake up those wretched people, you murderer, and you kill them with both.
You pretended coming down from above, but arrogant you puffed out, like a serpent;
Vomiting forth foul rage, you spread stench;
And still you creep about your nostrils breathing flames;
You swell your scaley neck, you grind to pieces with carnage and battle.
You had rushed down (fallen) out of heaven, but still, you puff out, slippery serpent;
Vomiting forth from your mouth foul rage you spread about stench;
And yet you creep (slither) broken and breathe out flames from your nose;
You swell your scaly neck, you grind to pieces carnage and battles.
A morsel of pitch by throwing may destroy you dreadful serpent,
Keeping bent your neck of scales.
May a morsel of pitch having been thrown destroy the dreadful serpent,
May it stop raising its horrible necks of scales.
Then that the people may live, the evil beast must die,
The grim serpent now withdraws his dragon claws.
May the evil beast die (destroy/lose it’s life), in order for the people to live,
May the grim serpent now retract his dragon-like claws.
May you be buried by a pile of stones;
That rubbish heap of rocks will accord with what the fathers thought.
May a heap of stones, a multitude, be piled up over you;
That paving over with stones will be the unanimous verdict of the father.
Here your pestilential body cannot puff out its throat,
A thousand eager men destroy the monster.
A voracious insatiable monster crawls over a thousand men, you will atone for these things (will suffer these punishments), a dark grave, so that you do not blow out with your swollen throat,
May the gates of hell be closed to your return,
And so permit wars of the world to rest.
May the infernal caverns close their mouths above you,
May a return path not stay open, but may the wars of the world rest.