Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume IV. The Higher Life. 1904. | | | | VIII. Selections from “The Divine Comedy” | | Prayer of Penitents | | Dante Alighieri (1265–1321) |
| | Translated by Henry Francis Cary Selections from “The Divine Comedy” Purgatory: Canto XI.
“O THOU Almighty Father! who dost make | |
| The heavens thy dwelling, not in bounds confined, | |
| But that, with love intenser, there thou view’st | |
| Thy primal effluence; hallowed be thy name: | |
| Join, each created being, to extol | 5 |
| Thy might; for worthy humblest thanks and praise | |
| Is thy blest Spirit. May thy kingdom’s peace | |
| Come unto us; for we, unless it come, | |
| With all our striving, thither tend in vain. | |
| As, of their will, the angels unto thee | 10 |
| Tender meet sacrifice, circling thy throne | |
| With loud hosannas; so of theirs be done | |
| By saintly men on earth. Grant us, this day, | |
| Our daily manna, without which he roams | |
| Through this rough desert retrograde, who most | 15 |
| Toils to advance his steps. As we to each | |
| Pardon the evil done us, pardon thou | |
| Benign, and of our merit take no count. | |
| ’Gainst the old adversary, prove thou not | |
| Our virtue, easily subdued; but free | 20 |
| From his incitements, and defeat his wiles. | |
| This last petition, dearest Lord! is made | |
| Not for ourselves; since that were needless now; | |
| But for their sakes who after us remain.” | | | | |
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