On the Italian Priesthood

This an adaptation of the following epigram, which appeared in Giuseppe Giusti’s Raccolta di Proverbi Toscani (Firenze, 1853)

Con arte e con inganno si vive mezzo l’anno
Con inganno e con arte si vive l’altra parte.

In knavish art and gathering gear
They spend the one half of the year;
In gathering gear and knavish art
They somehow spend the other part.