La donna, inzino ar venti, si è contenta <br />Mamma, l'anni che ttiè ssempre li canta: <br />Ne cresce uno oggni cinque inzino ar trenta, <br />Eppoi se ferma lì ssino a quaranta. <br /> <br />Dar quarantuno impoi stenta e nun stenta, <br />E ne dice antri dua sino ar cinquanta; <br />Ma allora, che aruvina pe la scenta, <br />Te la senti sartà ssubbito a ottanta. <br /> <br />Perché, ar cresce li fiji de li fiji, <br />Nun potenno esse ppiù donna d'amore, <br />Vò ffigurà da donna de conziji. <br /> <br />E allora er cardinale o er monziggnore, <br />Che j'allisciava er pelo a li cuniji, <br />Comincia a recità da confessore. <br /> <br /> <br />English <br /> <br />Women, till the age of twenty, if mother agrees [1] <br />Always declare their age: <br />They count one every five until they are thirty, <br />And then they stop counting until forty. <br /> <br />From forty-one onwards they barely move, <br />Declaring two more, until they are fifty; <br />But then, spoilt by time, <br />They suddenly reach the age of eigthy. <br /> <br />Because, as the children of their children grow, <br />No longer being women of love, <br />They wish to appear as women of wisdom. <br /> <br />And then, cardinals and bishops <br />Who used to be in friendly terms with them [2] , <br />Start playing the role of the confessor.<br /><br />Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/l-abbichino-de-le-donne-womens-abacus/
