Ezra Pound

  CA USURA

Ca usura ningún home ten unha casa de boa pedra,
cada bloque ben tallado e axustado
cun deseño que poida cubri-la súa face,
ca usura
ninguén ten un paraíso pintado no muro da súa igrexa
harpes et lutes
ou unha virxe recibindo a mensaxe
e un halo que se proxecta dende unha fenda;
ca usura
non ve Gonzaga os seus herdeiros e as concubinas,
non se pinta cadro ningún pra que perdure e viva
senón pra vendelo, e vendelo deseguida;
ca usura, pecado contra a natureza,
o teu pan non é máis ca unhas migallas rancias,
o teu pan é seco coma o papel,
sen trigo da montaña, sen fariña dura;
ca usura a liña faise grosa,
ca usura non hai lindeiros precisos
e ningún home pode achar un lugar pra a súa morada.
Ó canteiro apártano da súa pedra,
ó tecedor apártano do seu tear,
CA USURA
a la non chega á feira
nin a ovella produce ganancia ca usura.
A usura é unha peste, a usura
desafía a agulla na man da rapaza
e detén a destreza da fiandeira. Pietro Lombardo
non viña pola usura,
Duccio non viña pola usura,
nin Piero della Francesca, nin Giovanni Bellini pola usura,
nin foi pintada ‘A Calumnia’.
Non vira pola usura Frei Anxélico, nin Ambrogio Praedis,
nin houbo igrexa de pedra labrada ca firma:
                                                                           Adamo me fecit.
Nin pola usura Saint Trophime,
nin pola usura Saint Hilaire.
A usura enferruxa o cicel,
enferruxa a artesanía e o artesán,
rela o fío no tear;
ninguén aprende a entrenza-lo ouro na súa trama,
o azur ten un cancro pola usura; está sen fia-lo carmesí,
non atopa o esmeralda Memling ningún;
a usura asasina o meniño no útero,
impidelle ó mozo o cortexo,
fai chega-la parálise ó leito, xace
entre a nova esposa e o seu noivo.
                                     CONTRA NATURA
Trouxeron as putas a Eleusis.
Están os cadáveres prestos pra o banquete
por mandato da usura.

 

Canto XLV. WITH USURA

With usura hath no man a house of good stone
each block cut smooth and well fitting
that design might cover their face,
with usura
hath no man a painted paradise on his church wall
harpes et luz
or where virgin receiveth message
and halo projects from incision,
with usura
seeth no man Gonzaga his heirs and his concubines
no picture is made to endure nor to live with
but it is made to sell and sell quickly
with usura, sin against nature,
is thy bread ever more of stale rags
is thy bread dry as paper,
with no mountain wheat, no strong flour
with usura the line grows thick
with usura is no clear demarcation
and no man can find site for his dwelling.
Stonecutter is kept from his tone
weaver is kept from his loom
WITH USURA
wool comes not to market
sheep bringeth no gain with usura.
Usura is a murrain, usura
blunteth the needle in the maid’s hand
and stoppeth the spinner’s cunning. Pietro Lombardo
came not by usura
Duccio came not by usura
nor Pier della Francesca; Zuan Bellin’ not by usura
nor was ‘La Calunnia’ painted.
Came not by usura Angelico; came not Ambrogio Praedis,
Came no church of cut stone signed:
                                                               Adamo me fecit.
Not by usura St. Trophime
Not by usura Saint Hilaire,
Usura rusteth the chisel
It rusteth the craft and the craftsman
It gnaweth the thread in the loom
None learneth to weave gold in her pattern;
Azure hath a canker by usura; cramoisi is unbroidered
Emerald findeth no Memling
Usura slayeth the child in the womb
It stayeth the young man’s courting
It hath brought palsey to bed, lyeth
between the young bride and her bridegroom
                              CONTRA NATURAM
They have brought whores for Eleusis
Corpses are set to banquet
at behest of usura.

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