Raphèl maí amèche zabí almi
Encyclopedia
Raphèl maí amèche zabí almi is a verse written by Dante Alighieri
in Canto
XXXI, line 67, in his epic poem Divine Comedy.
The verse is shouted out by Nimrod
, who is a giant
in the epic poem, but not one in Biblical texts. He is portrayed as one due to the similarities between him and the Giant's revolt, punished and banished to the Giants' Well.
Some internet sources regard the verse as a mixture of Hebrew and Arabic.
The strophe with the verse and the following five, in original Italian and English reads:
"Raphèl maì amècche zabì almi,"
cominciò a gridar la fiera bocca,
cui non si convenia più dolci salmi.
E 'l duca mio ver' lui: "Anima sciocca,
tienti col corno, e con quel ti disfoga
quand' ira o altra passïon ti tocca!
Cércati al collo, e troverai la soga
che 'l tien legato, o anima confusa,
e vedi lui che 'l gran petto ti doga."
Poi disse a me: "Elli stessi s'accusa;
questi è Nembrotto per lo cui mal coto
pur un linguaggio nel mondo non s'usa.
Lasciànlo stare e non parliamo a vòto;
ché così è a lui ciascun linguaggio
come 'l suo ad altrui, ch'a nullo è noto."
"Raphèl maì amècche zabì almi,"
the savage mouth, for which no sweeter
psalms were fit, began to shout.
And, in response, my leader: 'You muddled soul,
stick to your horn! Vent yourself with that
when rage or other passion takes you.
"Search at your neck, you creature of confusion,
and you will find the rope that holds the horn
aslant your mammoth chest.
Then he to me: 'He is his own accuser.
This is Nimrod, because of whose vile plan
the world no longer speaks a single tongue.
"Let us leave him and not waste our speech,
for every language is to him as his
to others, and his is understood by none."
Note the similarity to Papé Satàn, papé Satàn aleppe
. Both verses are exclamations of anger ("when rage or other passion takes you.") and both are shouted out by demons.
Dante Alighieri
Durante degli Alighieri, mononymously referred to as Dante , was an Italian poet, prose writer, literary theorist, moral philosopher, and political thinker. He is best known for the monumental epic poem La commedia, later named La divina commedia ...
in Canto
Canto
The canto is a principal form of division in a long poem, especially the epic. The word comes from Italian, meaning "song" or singing. Famous examples of epic poetry which employ the canto division are Lord Byron's Don Juan, Valmiki's Ramayana , Dante's The Divine Comedy , and Ezra Pound's The...
XXXI, line 67, in his epic poem Divine Comedy.
The verse is shouted out by Nimrod
Nimrod
Nimrod means "Hunter"; was a Biblical Mesopotamian king mentioned in the Table of Nations; an eponym for the city of Nimrud.Nimrod can also refer to any of the following:*Nimród Antal, a director...
, who is a giant
Giant (mythology)
The mythology and legends of many different cultures include monsters of human appearance but prodigious size and strength. "Giant" is the English word commonly used for such beings, derived from one of the most famed examples: the gigantes of Greek mythology.In various Indo-European mythologies,...
in the epic poem, but not one in Biblical texts. He is portrayed as one due to the similarities between him and the Giant's revolt, punished and banished to the Giants' Well.
Some internet sources regard the verse as a mixture of Hebrew and Arabic.
The strophe with the verse and the following five, in original Italian and English reads:
"Raphèl maì amècche zabì almi,"
cominciò a gridar la fiera bocca,
cui non si convenia più dolci salmi.
E 'l duca mio ver' lui: "Anima sciocca,
tienti col corno, e con quel ti disfoga
quand' ira o altra passïon ti tocca!
Cércati al collo, e troverai la soga
che 'l tien legato, o anima confusa,
e vedi lui che 'l gran petto ti doga."
Poi disse a me: "Elli stessi s'accusa;
questi è Nembrotto per lo cui mal coto
pur un linguaggio nel mondo non s'usa.
Lasciànlo stare e non parliamo a vòto;
ché così è a lui ciascun linguaggio
come 'l suo ad altrui, ch'a nullo è noto."
"Raphèl maì amècche zabì almi,"
the savage mouth, for which no sweeter
psalms were fit, began to shout.
And, in response, my leader: 'You muddled soul,
stick to your horn! Vent yourself with that
when rage or other passion takes you.
"Search at your neck, you creature of confusion,
and you will find the rope that holds the horn
aslant your mammoth chest.
Then he to me: 'He is his own accuser.
This is Nimrod, because of whose vile plan
the world no longer speaks a single tongue.
"Let us leave him and not waste our speech,
for every language is to him as his
to others, and his is understood by none."
Note the similarity to Papé Satàn, papé Satàn aleppe
Papé Satàn, papé Satàn aleppe
Papé Satàn, papé Satàn aleppe is the opening line of Canto VII of Dante Alighieri's Inferno. The line, consisting of three words, is famous for the uncertainty of its meaning, and there have been many attempts to interpret it. Modern commentators on the Inferno view it as some kind of demonic...
. Both verses are exclamations of anger ("when rage or other passion takes you.") and both are shouted out by demons.