Sora^[1] acqua

… Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per sor’ acqua,
la quale é molto utile et humile et pretiosa et
casta...


Se io osassi Francesco continuare
ancor per l’acqua Te vorrei laudare
ché essa più di tutto al mondo é bella
se chiara e fresca canta e salterella.

Per l’uomo indispensabile ci appare
per essa son la terra il cielo il mare
con essa sono sicurezza e pace
il mondo finirà s’ella si tace.

Lady Water

… Praise be, my Lord, for Lady Water,
which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste…

Were I to dare Francesco^[2] to continue
Still for the water I would want to praise You
Because it is the most beautiful thing in all the world
If it is clear and fresh and leaping around.

For man it appears to be indispensable
For water the earth, the sky and the sea are (indispensable)
With water we have security and peace
The world would end if water were to cease.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTES:
^[1] Sora – stands for Signor or Signora = Mr. [noun masculine] or Mrs. [noun feminine] [plural forms also exist in Italian but are not really translatable!]
Sora is a regional variant of Signor, which is placed before a name or a title. It is commonly used in Central Italy.
E.g. il sor Antonio = the Mr. Antonio; sor dottore = Mr. Doctor (forms of address that we would never say or use in English!)
(c) Petrini S.r.l. Garzanti Linguistica, 2004
^[2] Francesco – refers to Saint Francis of Assisi (born in Assisi, Italy, 1182; died there on October 3, 1226) founded the Franciscan Order or "Friars Minor". He is the patron saint of animals, merchants, Catholic action and the environment. He believed that the external world was inherently good, as a sign and revelation of God's providence and goodness, its purpose being to inspire our respect and love. His belief in the universal ability and duty of all animals to praise God is unusual.
     
 English translation courtesy of Marion Apley Porreca