‘O Ggiovedi Santo (Maundy Thursday)

by Gianni Polverino
English translation my own

Napuletano

’O Ggiovedí Santo
è na jurnata triste,
fuje ll’urdema cena
’e Ggesú Cristo.

Cu ppane e vvino
nzieme a Ggesú,
a ’sta tavula
ce stive pure tu.

Si a cchesta jurnata
tu ce pienze,
pàssate ’a mana
p’ ’a cuscienza.

English Translation

Maundy Thursday
is a sad day
it was the Last Supper
of Jesus Christ.

With bread and wine
together with Jesus
at this table
you were there, too.

If on this day
you think about it,
give a hand
to your conscience.*

*pàssate ’a mana p’ ’a cuscienza literally means “Give the hand to the conscience” but in English is more like “Ask your conscience” or “Do what you know is right.”

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