The Italian Translation story  
By Saskia Raevouri
Read this article in Italian, "La Storia de Il Libro di Urantia," tradutto da Memo Zago

INTRODUCTION 2011: This article was written in early 2005 to raise money for the printing of the Italian translation, after I had finished formatting it for Urantia Foundation. Through this website we were able to raise $40,000.

IN THE 1960s, an Italian engineer named Giuseppe Zecchinato, of Verona, came into possession of the French translation of the Urantia Book, La Cosmogonie d’Urantia, through his friend, the translator, Jacques Weiss.

Giuseppe, the first Italian reader of the Urantia Book, became inspired to translate the revelation into his native language, using for reference both the French translation and the English text, though his knowledge of English was limited. Writing by hand, he translated Part I and a several other papers, but was forced to stop because of his work commitments.

In the early 1980s, Giuseppe introduced the Urantia material to fellow Italian Guglielmo (Memo) Zago, who also lived in Verona. La Cosmogonie had been published in three separate volumes, and Memo first read “The Life and Teaching of Jesus." Intrigued, he purchased the complete set and when he finished reading it, on his own initiative began translating the text into Italian, this time using a typewriter, then showed his work to Giuseppe for appraisal.

Convinced it would be better to translate directly from the original English text, Giuseppe and Memo began working together and formed the first small team with Giuseppe’s sister, Giuseppina Zecchinato.

After much time and many hardships, they managed to translate forty papers before Giuseppe fell seriously ill, his condition causing him to almost completely lose his eyesight. The project seemed to have come to a sudden and abrupt halt.

After a while, however, Memo decided to resume the translation, starting from the beginning and with reference to both English and more recent French edition texts. Every Saturday he would take his typewritten pages over to Giuseppe’s home and read out the new text to him and Giuseppina, after which they would discuss it and agree upon corrections and revisions. Before long Memo purchased a computer onto which he transcribed the Italian text.

By 1999, they considered the translation finished and presented it to Urantia Foundation. Under the scrutiny of (Trustee) Georges Michelson-Dupont and (Manager for Translations) Seppo Kanerva, the work was judged passable.

On the occasion of Georges's visit to Verona, Memo expressed the opinion it would be preferable, before printing, to have the translation checked over by a language expert, since none of the original team was fluent in English. Sadly, in 2001, while this was being decided, Giuseppe passed away.

Soon after, Seppo suggested that Memo accept language expert Antonella Carrara, who had volunteered her services, as his co-worker in the revision of the Italian text. Antonella then brought her in friend, Salvatore Frustaci, also highly skilled, to complete the new translation team.

From then on, the three worked together, with Antonella in Rome and Salvatore first in England and then in Naples, sending Memo their proposed changes and modifications, most of which he found acceptable and for which he was grateful. While the main obstacle slowing the work was other obligations that prevented them from devoting full time to the project, the translation effort continued to edge forward. Also contributing to the team was Luciana Trombin, Memo’s wife, who helped him in transcribing the text and proofreading it many times over for errors.

By May 27, 2004, having gone through the Italian text three more times, always refining and polishing it to weed out imperfections, Memo finally pronounced the work completed. The Italian translation was a fait accompli.

Says Memo: “I thank God for having met Giuseppe Zecchinato. I thank God for Giuseppe’s having urged me to engage in the translation of the French and English texts. I thank God especially for having given me the physical and mental energy to persist throughout these many years, in the course of which innumerable difficulties seemed to frustrate the completion of this work. I thank Him because the fruition of all this is the first edition of IL LIBRO DI URANTIA.”

* * *

MY INVOLVEMENT began one day in late 2004 when my old friend and neighbor Jane Ploetz was visiting me. Jane, an Associate Trustee of Urantia Foundation, mentioned that a number of translations were ready, waiting only to be formatted. Having acquired computer book-formatting skills in recent years, I felt the urge to donate my services for the revelation. They were immediately accepted.

Since January 2005 I have worked closely with a wonderful, tight-knit team consisting of Seppo Kanerva, Matt Viglione (UF’s in-house professional book-formatting wizard), and Memo Zago, head of the Italian translation team. Although I was in Southern California, Seppo in Finland, Matt in Chicago, and Memo in Italy, we worked together comfortably via email, my sending them PDF files as I finished formatting each paper, which they checked over and gave instant feedback on.

Matt taught me so much about book formatting that I now consider myself a skilled professional, Seppo’s no-nonsense translation leadership made me feel that the book was in good hands, and Memo’s love for and devotion to the revelation came through each time he sent me a meticulous list of corrections and adjustments. It was a joy to work with all of them. I can also vouch that Memo read every word of the Italian translation over a least three more times in the last six months!

This is not about Urantia politics or any particular individual. It is exclusively about the Italian translation and those who labored so long to make it a reality for their fellow countrymen. No matter what happened in the past, we have it within our power to make up for lost time within our lifetime! When I arrive in the mansion worlds and they ask, “Did you do all you could for the revelation?” I want to be able to say “Yes!” Won't you join me?

It's time to put down our swords and pick up our ploughshares!

READ THIS ARTICLE IN ITALIAN La Storia de Il Libro di Urantia

[L-R, front:]Giuseppe Zecchinato, Giuseppina Zecchinato, Memo Zago. [Rear:] visitor Steve Rohrback. 

Verona

Seppo Kanerva, circa 1993, with the Finnish book

Salvatore Frustaci

Antonella Carrara

Luciana Trombin

Jane (left) and Saskia in 2004 on a day trip to Mexico

Visiting Matt Viglione in Chicago, May 2005