"Adhaesit pavimento anima mea,"
  I heard them say with sighings so profound,
  That hardly could the words be understood.

"O ye elect of God, whose sufferings
  Justice and Hope both render less severe,
  Direct ye us towards the high ascents."

"If ye are come secure from this prostration,
  And wish to find the way most speedily,
  Let your right hands be evermore outside."

Thus did the Poet ask, and thus was answered
  By them somewhat in front of us; whence I
  In what was spoken divined the rest concealed,

And unto my Lord's eyes mine eyes I turned;
  Whence he assented with a cheerful sign
  To what the sight of my desire implored.

When of myself I could dispose at will,
  Above that creature did I draw myself,
  Whose words before had caused me to take note,

Saying: "O Spirit, in whom weeping ripens
  That without which to God we cannot turn,
  Suspend awhile for me thy greater care.

Who wast thou, and why are your backs turned upwards,
  Tell me, and if thou wouldst that I procure thee
  Anything there whence living I departed."

And he to me: "Wherefore our backs the heaven
  Turns to itself, know shalt thou; but beforehand
  'Scias quod ego fui successor Petri.'

Between Siestri and Chiaveri descends
  A river beautiful, and of its name
  The title of my blood its summit makes.

A month and little more essayed I how
  Weighs the great cloak on him from mire who keeps it,
  For all the other burdens seem a feather.

Tardy, ah woe is me! was my conversion;
  But when the Roman Shepherd I was made,
  Then I discovered life to be a lie.

I saw that there the heart was not at rest,
  Nor farther in that life could one ascend;
  Whereby the love of this was kindled in me.

Until that time a wretched soul and parted
  From God was I, and wholly avaricious;
  Now, as thou seest, I here am punished for it.

What avarice does is here made manifest
  In the purgation of these souls converted,
  And no more bitter pain the Mountain has.

Even as our eye did not uplift itself
  Aloft, being fastened upon earthly things,
  So justice here has merged it in the earth.

As avarice had extinguished our affection
  For every good, whereby was action lost,
  So justice here doth hold us in restraint,

Bound and imprisoned by the feet and hands;
  And so long as it pleases the just Lord
  Shall we remain immovable and prostrate."

I on my knees had fallen, and wished to speak;
  But even as I began, and he was 'ware,
  Only by listening, of my reverence,

"What cause," he said, "has downward bent thee thus?"
  And I to him: "For your own dignity,
  Standing, my conscience stung me with remorse."

"Straighten thy legs, and upward raise thee, brother,"
  He answered: "Err not, fellow-servant am I
  With thee and with the others to one power.

If e'er that holy, evangelic sound,
  Which sayeth 'neque nubent,' thou hast heard,
  Well canst thou see why in this wise I speak.

Now go; no longer will I have thee linger,
  Because thy stay doth incommode my weeping,
  With which I ripen that which thou hast said.

On earth I have a grandchild named Alagia,
  Good in herself, unless indeed our house
  Malevolent may make her by example,

And she alone remains to me on earth."