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Complete Songs

Compact Disc 28

Dva romansa na slova M. Lermontova1 Utro na Kavkaze

Svetayet -vyotsa dikoy pelenoy

Vokrug lesistïh gor tuman nochnoy;Yescho u nog Kavkaza tishina;Molchit tabun, reka zhurchit odna.Vot na skale novorozhdionnïy luchZardelsia vdrug, prorezavshis’ mezh tuch,I rozovïy po rechke i shatramRazlilsia blesk, i svetit tam i tam:Tak devushki, kupayasia f teni,Kogda uvidiat yunoshu oni,Krasneyut fse, k zemle skloniayut vzor:No kak bezhat’, kol’ blizok milïy vor!…

2 BalladaNad morem krasavitsa-deva sidit;I k drugu, laskayasia, tak govorit:«Dostan’ ozherel’ye, spustisia na dno;Sevodnia v puchinu upalo ono!Tï etim dokazhesh svoyu mne liubof!’»Vskipela lihaya u yunoshi krof’,I um yevo obnial nevol’nïy nedug,On v pennuyu bezdnu kidaetsa vdrug.lz bezdnï perlovïe brïzgi letiat,I volnï tesniatsa, i mchatsa nazad,I snova prihodiat i o bereg byut,Vot milova druga oni prinesut.O schastye! On zhiv, on skalu uhvalil,V ruke ozherel’ye, no mrachen kak bïl.On veri� boitsa ustalïm nogam,I vlazhnïye kudri begut po plecham…«Skazhu, ne liubliu il’ liubliu ya tebia,Dlia perlov prekrasnoy i zhizn’ ne schadia,Po slovu spustilsia na chornoye dnoV korallovom grote lezhala ono. –Voz’mi», i pechal’nïy on vzor ustremilNa to, shto dorozhe on zhizni liubil.Otvet bïl: «O milïy, o yunosha moy,Dostan’, yesli liubish, korall dorogoy».S dushoy beznadiozhnoy mladoy udaletsPrïgnul, Chtob nayti il’ korall, il’ konets.lz bezdnï perlovïe brïzgi letiat,l volnï tesniatsa, i mchatsa nazad,I snova prihodiat i o bereg byut,No milova druga oni ne nesut.

Chetyre pesni na slova E. Dolmatovskogo3 Rodina slyshit

Rodina slïshit, Rodina znayet,Gde v oblakah eyo sïn proletayet.S druzheskoy laskoy,nezhnoy liubovyuAlïmi zviozdami bashen moskovskih,Bashen kremliovskihSmotrit ona za toboyu.Rodina slïshit, Rodina znayel,Kak nelegko eyo sïn pobezhdayet.No ne sdayotsaPravïy i smelïy!Vseyu sud’boy svoyey fï utverzhdayesh,Tï zaschischayeshMira velikoye delo.Rodina slïshit, Rodina znayet,Chto eyo syn na doroge vstrechayet,Kak tï skvoz’ tuchiPut’ probivayesh.Skol’ko by chornaya buria ne zlilas’,Shto b ni sluchilos’ –Bud’ nepreklonnïm, tovarisch!

4 Vïruchi meniaProtekli za ogradoy koliucheymoyi moloïe goda.Zalivayas’ slezoyu goriuchey,nashi devushki peli togda:«Nedrugov gonia,vïruchi menia,kak v chudesnoy skazke,rïtsar’ molodoys krasnoyu zvezdoyna zelionoy kaske»Mï v rodnïye lachugi vernulis’,v pechal’nuyu nashu stranu.Na kamniah obezdolennïh ulitsya poyu, kak pevala v plenu:«Nedrugov gonia,vïruchi menia,kak v chudesnoy skazke,rïtsar’ molodoys krasnoyu zvezdoyna zelionoy kaske»

Two Romances to Lyrics by M. LermontovA Morning In The CaucasusThe day is breaking. The night’s mist swirls in a wild

veilRound the wooded mountains;At the foot of the Caucasus it is still silent;The herd is quiet, the river alone is murmuring,and there on a rock, a new-born ray of lightappears suddenly out of the clouds, blushing,and its pink radiance spreads over the riverand the tents, shining here and there:Likewise, young maids bathing in the shadeall blush, and cast their glance downward,when they see a young lad;but how can they run away, when the lovely thief is so

near!…

BalladThe beautiful maiden sits by the sea,and she says to her friend so sweetly:“Pluck my necklace from the sea bottom,for it was dropped there today!Thus you will prove your love to me!”The lad’s boiling blood runs hot,his mind is obsessed with an unwitting affliction,And he suddenly plunges into the foaming abyss.Pearly splashes rise from the abyss,the waves clash, and retreat,and arrive again, and beat against the shore,In a moment, they will bring back the loving friend.Oh happiness! He is alive, he has gripped the rock,the necklace is in his hand, but he is gloomy.He is scared to trust his weary feet,His wet locks stlick to his shoulders…“Tell me now, have I not proved my love to you?I did not spare my life for my beauty’s pearls,devotedly, I plunged down to the black seabed,and found the necklace in a coral grotto. –Take it,” and he cast a sad glanceTo the one he loved more than his life.The answer was, “Oh sweet one, oh my darling,if you love me, pluck me a precious coral.”The daring hero, hopeless in his heart,plunged in to find a coral, or his death.Pearly splashes rise from the abyss,the waves clash, and retreat,and arrive again, and beat against the shore,But they do not bring back the loving friend.

Four Songs to Lyrics by E. DolmatovskyThe Motherland HearsThe Motherland hears, the Motherland knowsWhere her son flies through the clouds.With friendly embrace,with lender love,she watches over you.With the scarlet stars of Moscow’s towers,of the Kremlin’s lowers.The Motherland hears, the Motherland knowsHow hard it is for her son to win,but he who is brave and who is rightnever gives up.With all your fate you maintain,you defendThe great cause of peace.The Motherland hears, the Motherland knowsWhat her son has to face on his way,how you thread your waythrough thunder-clouds.However fierce the black storm may be,whatever may happen –remain staunch, Comrade!

Rescue MeMy young days were spentbehind barbed wire.Shedding bitter tears,our girls used to sing:“Driving out the enemy,rescue me,like in a fairy tale,O young knight,with a red staron your green helmet.”We went back to the ruins of our homes,to our sad country.I sing on the stones of widowed streets,like I used to sing in prison:“Driving out the enemy,rescue me,like in a fairy tale,O young knight,with a red staron your green helmet.”

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5 Liubit – ne liubitYest’ devushek mnogo u nas v gorodke,No ta, shto vstrechayet s tsvetami v ruke,V tebia vliublena,No znay, shto onagadat’ na romashke ne budet.Liubit – ne liubit,Liubit – ne liubit,Liubit – ne liubit…Geroyam fsegda prepodnosiat tsvetï,Ya veriu, shto stanesh geroyem i tï.Ne stanu gadat’,No budu ya zhdat’,I serdtse nichto ne ostudit.Liubit – ne liubit,Liubit – ne liubit,Liubit – ne liubit…Yest’ devushek mnogo, no tol’ko odna,Bït’ mozhet, naveki v tebia vliublena.S liubovyu bol’shoyS otkrïtoy dushoyDlia schastya vstrechayutsa liudi.Liubit – ne liubit,Liubit – ne liubit,Liubit – ne liubit…

6 Kolibel’nayaSpi, moy horoshiy, spi moy rodnoy.Ty poyavilsia zelionoy vesnoy.Tot, kto rodilsia posle voyny,vidit lish samïye mirnïye snï.Spi, moy horoshiy, nezhno liubia,ya zaschischu ot nevzgodï tebia.Mirnïye liudi strazhu nesut,tronut’ detey nikomu ne dadut.Spi, moy horoshiy, nochyu i dnioms blizhnih stroitel’stv donositsa grom.Pust’ eti gromï budut slïshnï.Detiam i vzroslïm oni ne strashnï.

Chetïre monologa na slova A. Pushkina7 Otrivok

V yevreyskoy hizhine lampadaV odnom uglu bledna gorit,Pered lampadoyu starikChitaet Bibliyu. SedïyeNa knigu padayut vlasï.Nad kolïbeliyu pustoyYevreyka plachet molodaya.Sidit v drugom uglu, glavoyPoniknuf, molodoy yevrey,Gluboko v dumu pogruzhonnïy.V pechal’noy hizhine starushkaGotovit pozdniuyu trapezu.Starik, zakrïf sviatuyu knigy,Zastiozhki mednïye somknul.Staruha stavit bednïy uzhinNa stol i vsiu semyu zoviot.Nikto neydiot, zabyv o pische.Tekut v bezmolvii chasy.Usnulo vsio pod sen’yu nochi.Yevreyskoy hizhinï odnoyNe posetil Otradnïy son.Na kolokol’ne gorodskoyByot polnach. – Vdrug rukoy tiazholoyStuchatsa k nim. Semya vzdrognula,Mladoy yevrey vstayot i dver’S nedoumen’yem olvoriaet –I vhodit neznakomïy strannikV yego ruke dorozhnïy posoh.

8 Shto v imeni tebe moyom?Shto v imeni tebe moyom?Ono umriot, kak shum pechal’nïyVolnï, plesnufshey v bereg dal’nïy,Kak zvuk nochnoy v lesu gluhom.

Ono na pamiatnom listkeOstavit miortvïy sled, podobnïyUzoru nadpisi nadgrobnoyNa neponiatnom yazïke.

Shto v niom? Zabïtoye davnoV volnen’yah novïh i miatezhnïh,Tvoyey dushe ne dast onoVospominaniy chistïh, nezhnïh.

No v dni pechali, v tishine,Proiznesi yevo toskuya;Skazhi: yest’ pamiat’ obo mne,Yest’ v mire serdtse, gde zhivu ya.

Four Monologues to Words by A. PushkinA FragmentIn the Jewish hut, a pale lampburns in a comer;At the lamp, an old manis reading the Bible.His grey hair hangs down onto the book.A young Jewess weepsover an empty cradle.In another corner, a young Jewsits with his head down,deep in his thoughts.An old woman cooks a late supperin that sad hut.The old man closes the holy bookand fastens its copper clasps.The old woman puts the meagre supperon the table, and calls the whole family.No one comes, they neglect the meals.Hours run on in silence.All is asleep in the shade of night,The Jewish hut alonehas amiable sleep bypassed.The town belfry’s clockstrikes midnight. – Suddenly, a heavy handknocks at the door. The family starts,the young Jew then gets up and,bewildered, opens the door.And lo, an unknown stranger comes in,a traveller’s staff in his hand.

What’s In My Name To You?What’s in my name to you?It will die like the sad murmurof a wave striking some far-off shore,like a night sound in forlorn woods.

It will leave a dead traceon a memorial slip of paper,like a tracing of a gravestone inscriptionin an unknown language.

What’s in it? It is long forgottenin new, tumultuous worries,it will not give your soulany pure and gentle reminiscences.

But pronounce it in days of sorrow,in silence, when you’re sick at heart;say: there’s remembrance of me,there’s a heart in the world where I live.

Loves – Or Loves NotThere are many girls in our town,but the one who meets you with flowers in her hand,is in love with you.But she will not try to tell her fortuneplucking daisy petals.(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not,(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not,(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not…Heroes are always greeted with flowers,And I believe you too will be a hero.I won’t try to tell your fortune,But I’ll be waiting,And nothing will cool my heart.(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not,(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not,(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not…There are many girls, but only one of themmay be in love with you for all time.When love is great,when souls are open,people meet for happiness.(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not,(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not,(S)he loves me – (s)he loves me not…

LullabySleep my darling, sleep my sweet one.You came to the world in green spring.Those who are born after a warsee only most peaceful dreams.Sleep my darling, l love you tenderlyand cover you from hardships.Peaceful people are on watchand won’t let anyone hurt children.Sleep my darling, day and nightThunder is heard from nearby construction sites.Let this thunder resound,For it never frightens either children or grown-ups.

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9 Vo glubine sibirskih rud…Vo glubine sibirskih rudHranite gordoye terpen’ye,Ne propadiot vash skorbnïy trudI dum vïsokoye stremlen’ye.

Neschast’yu vernaya sestra,Nadezhda v mrachnom podzemel’yeRazbudit bodrost’ i vesel’ye,Pridiot zhelannaya pora:

Liubof i druzhestvo do vasDoydut skvoz’ mrachnïye zatvory,Kak v vashi katorzhnïye norïDohodit moy svobodnïy glas.

Okovy tiazhkie padut,Temnitsï ruhnut i svobodaVas primet radostno u vhoda,I brat’ya mech vam otdadut.

10 ProschanieV posledniy raz tvoy obraz milïyDerzayu mïslenno laskat’,Budit’ mechtu serdechnoy siloyI s negoy robkoy i unïloyTvoyu liubof vospominat’.

Begut meniayas’ nashi leta.Meniaya vsio, meniaya nas,Uzh tï dlia svoyego poetaMogilnïm sumrakom odeta,I dlia tebia tvoy drug ugas.

Primi zhe, da�niaya podruga.Proschan’ye serdtsa moyevo,Kak ovdovevshaya supruga,Kak drug, obniavshiy molcha drugaPred zatocheniem yevo.

Grecheskiye pesni11 Fperiod! (K. Palamas)

Fperiod, geroi Gretsii!Za rodinu svobodnuyu!Gotov liuboy borets yeyoDelit’ sud’bu narodnuyu.

Ot Pinda do Egeyskih vodGroza grohochet nad goramiEto buria, eto plamia,Eto mïsl’ odna – fperiod!

Fperiod, na kruchi gornïye,V prostor morey nevedomïy!Nad bezdnoy nepokornoyuVzovyom svoy stiag pobednïy mï.

Opiat’ prizïvnïy rog poyot,Opiat’ zoviot geroyev Rigas…Sumrak nochi nas ne vïdast,Gornïye orlï, fperiod!

Fperiod, otriadï groznïye!Klinki blesnut, kak molnii.Rasskazhut nochi zviozdnïye,Kak mï svoy dolg ispolnili!

V ogne Rumeli. Krit fstayot.Grohochut pushki na Olimpe…Vzveytes’ k nebu, alïy vïmpel,Smelïye serdtsa, fperiod!

12 PentozalisProkliatye! Vechno dolzhen zhda�Tebia ya pered fsemi.A vremia ne verniotsa vspiat’,Na to ono i vremia!Ne hochesh tselovat’ menia,Hot’ tak tebia liubliu ya,A net, kak dïma bez ognia,Liubvi bez potseluya!

Fsegda vdvoyom rastut tsvetïDushistoy baziliki.Zachem poniat’ ne hochesh tïMoyey liubvi velikoy?Kogda umru, tï nado mnoyNe ley naprasno sliozï…Poplach, pokuda ya zhivoy,Poka yescho ne pozdno!

Liubof’ bïla, kak rozï tsvet,Teper’ kolïuchkoy budet.A gde liubof’? Bïla i net.Na nas diviatsa liudi.Ne hochesh tselovat’ menia,Hol’ tak tebia liubliu ya,A net, kak dïma bez ognia,Liubvi bez potseluya!

Forward, up to sleep mountain peaks,into unknown tracts of seas!Over the unyielding abysswe will fly our victorious banner.

The urgent trumpet sings again,and Rigas summons its heroes again…The cloud of night won’t betray us,mountain eagles, forward!

Forward, fierce troops!The blades will glisten like lightning.The starry nights will tellHow we did our duty!

Rumeli is on fire. Crete is revolting.Cannons thunder on Olympus…Scarlet banner, soar aloft!Forward, brave hearts!

Penthosalis (folk song)Damnation! Why do I always havefor you in front of everyone.Time will never come back,such is its habit!You don’t want to kiss me,even though I love you so?But can there be smoke without fire,and can there be love without kisses?

Fragrant basil flowersalways grow in pairs.Why don’t you want to understandmy great love?When I die, do not shed your tearsover me in vain…Weep now when I’m living,while it’s not too late!

Our love was rose blossom,now it’s going to be a thorn.Where’s our love gone?People stare at us amazed.You don’t want to kiss me,even though I love you so?But can there be smoke without fire,and can there be love without kisses?

In The Depth Of Siberian MinesIn the depth of Siberian minespreserve your proud patience.Your woeful toil will not be lost,nor the noble aspirations of your thought.

Hope, Misfortune’s faithful sister,even in your gloomy dungeonwill awaken vigour and rejoicing,and the hoped-for time will come:

Love and friendship will reach youacross the gloomy bolted doors,just as my free voicereaches into your prison caves.

The heavy chains will drop,the jails will crumble, and freedomwill meet you happily at the entranceand your brothers will hand the sword back to you.

PartingFor the last time I dare to caressyour sweet image in my thoughts,to awaken the dream with power or heartand to recollect your lovewith timid and wistful bliss.

Our years run by, changing,changing all and changing us,now for your poetyou are shrouded in the twilight of the graveand for you your friend has faded as well.

So accept, far-off friend of mine,this, my heart’s farewell,like a widowed wife,like a friend silently embracing his friendbefore he goes to prison.

Greek SongsForward!Forward, heroes of Greece!For the free homeland!Its every fighter is willingto share the people’s destiny.

From Pindes to Aegean watersa thunderstorm roars over the mountainsit’s storm, it’s flame,it’s one thought, “Forward!”

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13 ZolongoO mir may chudesnïy, o mir may pechal’nïy,Gde lak redki radost’ i svet!Slishish li nïnche tï moy golos dal’niy,Bednoy rabï, skorbnuyu pesniu i zov proschal’nïy,

Zhalobu serdtsa, moy posledniy privet?

Kray moy skorbnïy, kray tï moy gornïy,Gibnet tvoy narod nepokornïy.Gorï, lesa i reki, proschayus’ s vami naveki!Gorï, lesa i reki, proschayus’ s vami naveki!

Tesno rïbke na dne bo�shoy lodki,Byotsa bedniashka v seti rïbaka!Fsio, chto mne shliot sud’ba, snoshu ya krotko,Tol’ko v rabstve zhizni netu dlia Suliotki:Dolia eta serdtsu slishkom gor’ka!

Kray moy skorbnïy, kray tï moy gornïy,Gibnet tvoy narod nepokornïy.Gory, lesa i reki, proschayus’ s vami naveki!Gory, lesa i reki, proschayus’ s vami naveki!

14 Gimn ELASS vintovkoy vernoyu shagayaPo derevniam i gorodam,Ya za tebia borius’, svoboda,I za tebia ya zhizn’ otdam,

Fperiod, ELAS, za spravedlivost’,Za schastye Gretsii vperiod.Pust’ etot klich na boy sviaschennïySïnov otechestva zoviot.

Kogda idiot na bitvu voin,Zvuchit vezde tvoy veschiy glas,I gorï, ehom otzïvayas’,Gremiat v otvet: ELAS, ELAS!

Zolongo (folk song)O my wonderful world, o my sorrowful world,where joy and light are so rare!Do you hear now my voice from far away,the mournful song and farewell call of a poor slave

woman,Lament of my heart, and my last greeting?

My land of grief, my land of mountains,your unyielding people is perishing.Mountains, rivers and woods, goodbye forever!Mountains, rivers and woods, goodbye forever!

A little fish feels small on a big boat’s deck,the poor one struggles in the fisherman’s net!I meekly endure all my destiny gives to me,but a Suliote girl cannot live enslaved;This lot is too heavy for my heart!

My land of grief, my land of mountains,your unyielding people is perishing.Mountains, rivers and woods, goodbye forever!Mountains, rivers and woods, goodbye forever!

The Hymn of ELLAS (S. Mavroidi-Papadaki)Marching with my trusty rifleover villages and towns,I fight for you, Freedom,and for you I’ll sacrifice my life.

March on, ELLAS, for justice,for Greece’s happiness, forward!Let this war-cry call sons of my countryfor a sacred battle…

When warriors march to a battle,your prophetic call is heard everywhere,and mountains resoundand thunder in reply, “ELLAS, ELLAS!”

Piat’ romansov na slova Ye. Dolmatovskogo15 Den’ vstrechi

Davno my ne videlis’…Pravda! Ne den’ i ne god,Fsiu zhizn’ ne fstrechalis’,No znali, shto vremia pridiot,No verili: fstrecha nastanet,Kak veriat, shto solntse vzoydiot.Tak vot tï kakaya,Rodnaya, rodnaya!…

Vglaza tvoi ya ne mogu nagliadetsa,Ya v nih ne smotrel nikogda,Vdali drug ot druga proshlo nashe detstvoI sklïnula yunost’, kak veshniaya voda.

Pust’ oba mï vzroslïye stali,No schas�ye ot etogo men’she ne budet.Ya fsio povtoriayu: rodnaya, rodnaya…I krïl’ya rastut u menia.Chestnoye slovo, ya prosto ne znayu,Kak zhil ya do etogo dnia,

16 Den’ priznaniyTropinkoyu uzkoy mï shli,Drug druga stesniayas’ nemnogo,I fsio nam kazalos’: vdaliVidneyetsa smutno bolshaya doroga.

Vokrug podnimalis’ tsvetï,Na nas udivlionno smotreli.Zapel solovey, i vpervïye uslïshala tï

Yevo priïhan’ya, ruladï i treli.

Ya v knigah chital, shto strashnaMinuta priznan’ya,No nam okazalas’ ona ne nuzhna Zachem ob’yasniatsa? Ne znayu…

Zachem obyasniatsa, ved’ slovo luboyeZvuchit kak, «liubliu» i velikoyu, dïshit lïubovyu.

Mi shli fsio bïstreye, bïstreye,I fdrug rasstupilis’ derev’ya,I fsio tak nezhdanno sluchilos’,Kak zhdali vliublionnïye nashi serdtsa.Bol’shaya doroga pred nami otkrïlas’,I kraya yey net, i ne budet kontsa.

Five Songs to Lyrics by E. DolmatovskyThe Day of MeetingWe’ve not seen each other for so long…It’s true! Not a day, or a year,we haven’t met our entire life,but we always knew the time would come,but we believed we would finally meet,just like we believe that the sun will rise.So this is you at last,my sweet darling!…

I never tire of looking into your eyes.I have never looked in them before.Our childhood was spent miles and miles apart,and our youth vanished like water from spring fields.

No matter that we have both grown up,our happiness will not be less.I’ll say it again, my sweet darling…I feel like I’m growing wings.Upon my word, I simply don’t knowhow I managed to live until this day.

The Day of DeclarationsWe were walking along a narrow path,we felt a bit self-conscious,and it seemed to us that a great wide roadloomed far ahead in a haze.

Flowers were surrounding us,looking at us surprised.A nightingale started to sing, and you heard for the first

timeits warbles, roulades and trills.

I’ve read in books that the moment of declarationis frightening,but it turns out that we don’t need it.Why should I declare anything? Don’t know…

What need is there to declare anything? When any wordsounds like “I love you” and breathes great love.

We walked faster and faster,and the trees suddenly made way,and all that happened was so unexpected,and was just as our loving hearts desired.We saw a great wide road ahead,A limitless one, an endless one.

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The Day of MemoriesThere was a little song.Sometimes it was merry, sometimes sad,sometimes it was sad, and sometimes merry,and it brought the lovers to their meeting.

We managed to save it in our hearts – It always promises a happy meeting.Yes, it always means a happy meeting,and cheers you up when travelling far way.

Let Youth sing new songs.The tune so dear to us lives in them too.It’s in them too, the tune so dear to us.We will not betray that one song.

We’ve had enough of sorrow.Nightingales sing again in spring.It’s spring, and nightingales they sing againof loyalty, of friendship, and of love.

Spanish SongsFarewell to GranadaFarewell, Granada, my Granada,I have to leave you forever!Farewell, dear place, so pleasing to my eye,farewell forever! Ah!The memories of you will be my only consolation,my dear place, my home place!I am forever pierced with sorrow,all I cared for is lost,my love is gone into the darkness of the grave,and my life is gone too… Ah!I am annoyed with what’s around me, I cannot live as

beforein the place where my youth was so bright!

Little StarsUnder the old cypressesthe water near the shore is gleaming.I am coming to my sweetheart with my guitarto teach her songs.But my teaching will not be free:I charge her a kiss for every note.Strangely, by the morning she learns everythingexcept the notes!Pity, it’s too late to start again…Pity, it’s getting light already…Pity, the stars o’er the baydo not tremble shyly also in the daylight…

19 Den’ vospominaniyBïla takaya pesenka odna,Poroyu vesela, poroy grustna,Poroy grustna, poroyu vesela,Ona vliublionnïh k fstreche privela.

Yeyo v serdtsah sumeli my zberech, –Ona vsegda zalog horoshih fstrech.Horoshih fstrech ona fsegda zalog.I s ney razluke legche dal’ dorog.

Pust’ yunost’ pesni novïye poyot.Napev, dlia nas rodnoy, i v nih zhiviot.I v nih zhiviot napev, dlia nas rodnoy.Mï ne izmenim pesenke odnoy.

Nam goria mnogo dovelos’ uznat’.Zapeli solovyi vesnoy opiat’.Vesnoy opiat’ zapeli solovyiO vernosti, o druzbe, o liubvi.

Ispanskiye pesni20 Proschay, Grenada!

Proschay, Grenada, moya Grenada,s toboy naveki mne rasstatsa nado!Proschay, liubimïy kray, ochey uslada,navek proschay! Ah!Budet pamiat’ o tebe moey yedinstvennoy otradoy,moy liubimïy, moy rodimïy kray!Navek mne serdtse toska pronzila,pogiblo fsio, shto v zhizni bïlo milo,moya liubov’ ushla vo mrak mogily,i zhizn’ ushla! Ah!I vokrug mne fsio postylo, zhi�, kak prezhde net

uzh silytam, gde yunost’ tak bïla svetla!

21 ZviozdochkíPod kiparisami starïmiserebritsa pribrezhnaya glad’.K miloy idu ya s gitaroya,shtobï pesniam yeyo obuchat’.No uchit’ besplatno mne net ohotï:ya beru s neyo potseluy za notu.Stranno, shto ona k utru uznayotfsio, krome not!Zhal’, shto nachat’ snova pozdno!Zhal’, shto uzhe svetel vozduh!Zhal’, shto i dniom ne drozhat puglivonad zalivom zviozdi…

The Day of GrievancesI don’t know why you are so sad.I too feel a weight on my heart.Spring cannot soothe uswith its blue sky and lovely petals.

Cold-hearted peoplehave given way to slander.They seem to feel so easy and happysneering at someone else’s love.

They whisper, and whisper, and whisper, and whisper,saying our love won’t last a month.They sting us with false smiles,with evil disregard, with black envy.

What do you need? Is it your business?How has our love harmed you?I feel heavy and sad.But you should not be unhappy.Let our pure feelings, our sunny ways,let them be sacred forever.

The Day of JoyThe sun is shining brightly,A cheerful way is open to Spring.You and I, our hearts nowfeel so light!

Because you and Iare entering the world, your hand in mine,fastened together with one destiny,like two petals of a flower.

Our dreams will come true, surely they will!And our sorrows? They’ll be forgotten.You’re so happy, you’re so beautiful,No wonder everyone admires you.

But my love, don’t be angry,when I become envious to myself.I’m so proud of you,that I seem to be jealous of everyone.

The sun is shining brightly,A cheerful way is open to Spring.You and I, our hearts nowfeel so light!

17 Den’ obidYa ne znayu, otchego tï tak grustna.U samogo na serdtse kamen’.I ne uteshit nas vesnaSvoyey golubiznoy, svoimi lepestkami.

L’udi s dushoyu chorstvoyDali voliu zloslov’yu.Vidno, ochen’ legko i prostoNad chuzhoy izdevatsa liubovyu.

Shepchutsa, shepchutsa, shepchutsa, shepchutsa:Eta liubof’ ne protianet i mesiatsa.Zhaliat pri vstreche ulïbkoy pritvornoyu,Zlïm bezrazlichiyem, zavis�yu chornoyu.

Shto vam nuzhno? Kakoye vam delo?Chem liubof nasha vas zadela?Mne tiazhelo i grustno.To�ko tï ne grusti.Da budut sviaschennïmi chistïye chustva,Svetlïye nashi puti.

18 Den’ radostiSolntse yarko zasiyalo,Svetlïy put’ otkrït vesne.Tak legko na serdtse staloI tebe, i mne.

Potomu shto mï s toboyuFhodim vmir, v ruke ruka,Skreplenï odnoy sud’boyu,Slovno lepestki tsvetka.

Fse sbudutsa mechtï! Konechno, sbudutsa!A nashi goresti? A goresti zabudutsa.Kakaya tï schastlivaya, kakaya tï krasivaya,Shto fse toboy liubuyutsa.

No ne serdis’, moya liubof,Kol’ sam sebe zavidovat’ nachnu ya.Ya tak gorzhus’ toboy,Shto, kazhetsa, ko vsem tebia revnuyu.

Solntse yarko zasiyalo,Svetlïy put’ otkrït vesne.Tak legko na serdtse staloI tebe, i mne!

6

V zviozdockah nebo beskrayneye,imi zviozdnaya nach polna.Miloy moyey nazïvayu yafseh beschislennïh zviozd imena.Va poznan’yami dorozhu svoimii beru platu s neyo potseluy za imia.Stranno, chto urok kazhetsa yey prost,fsio, krome zviozd!Zhal’, shto nacha� snova pozdno!Zhal’, shto uzhe svetel vozduh!Zhal’, shto i dniom ne drozhat puglivonad zalivom zviozdï…

22 Pervaya fstrechaTï u ruchya vodï mne dala kogda-to,svezhey vodï holodnoy, kak sneg v uschel’yah sinih

gor.Nochi temney tvoy vzor,v kosah aromat lepestkov dikoy miatï…

Vidish, opiat’ kruzhit horovod,buben gremit, zvenit i poyot.Kazhdïy tantsor podruzhku vediot,smotrit na nih, liubuyas’, narod.Bey, moy buben, bey, gremi, budto grom!S miloyu moyey my tantsuem vdvoyom.Lenta na tebie nebes golubey!Bey, may buben, bey! Buben, bey! Buben, bey!

Mne ne zabït vovek etoy pervoy fstrechi,laskovïh slov i smugloy ruki, i bleska chornïh glaz…

Ponial ya v etot chas,shto tiebia liubliu i liubit’ budu vechno!

Vidish, opiat’ kruzhit horovod,buben gremit, zvenit i poyot.Kazhdïy tantsor podruzhku vediot,smolrit na nih, liubuyas’ narod.Bey, moy buben, bey, gremi, budto grom!S miloyu moyey mï tantsuyem vdvoyom.Lenta na tebe nebes golubey!Bey, moy buben, bey! Buben, bey! Buben, bey!

RondaThe round dance is heard near our door,it’s time for rejoicing.Come and dance with me,you little scarlet carnation flower!In the moonlit silence, even the stream’s ringing is not

heard…Give me your hand, my girl,You little scarlet carnation flower!

The street is like a bright orchard.Laughter rings out, and eyes shine.Ronda spins round and sings,the sky gleams in starry silver,and merry couples are whirling…It’s a joyful feast of first flowers,It’s a feast of our love!

The shades of almond-trees on the windoware playing in moonbeams…When will you come out to me,my sweet spring flower?Pluck an almond twig from a tree,give it to me as a token of your love,my sweet spring flower!

The street is like a bright orchard.Laughter rings out, and eyes shine.Ronda spins round and sings,the sky gleams in starry silver,and merry couples are whirling…it’s a joyful feast of first flowers,it’s a feast of our love!

Black-Eyed GirlYour mother gave you starry eyes,and gentle colour of your dark cheeks,my sweetheart!With pain in my heart, late at night,I wander alone, without you,my sweetheart!Ah, why does my fate punish me so?Ah, why did I meet you at all?I will die of my desperate love if you won’t love me,

my sweetheart!

23 RondaShumit horovod u nashih dverey,vesel’ya para nastala.ldi tantsevat’ so mnoyu skorey,gvozdiki tsvelochek alÿ!V lunnoy tishine ne stïshen zvon ruchya…

Day ruku mne, devushka moya,gvozdiki tsvetochek alïy!

Ulitsa slovno yarkiy sad.Shutki zveniat, glaza blestiat.Ronda kruzhitsa i poyot,svetitsa zviozdnïm serebrom nebosvod,mchatsa vesiolye pari…Eto radostnïy prazdnik pervïh tsvetov,eta prazdnik nashey liubvi!

Igrayut v luche lunï na oknederev’yev mindal’nïh teni…Kogda zhe siuda tï vïydesh ko mne,moy nezhnïy tsvetok vesenniy?Vetku mindalia s dereva sorvi,yeyo mne day v znak tvoyey liubvi,moy nezhnïy tsvetok vesenniy!

Ulitsa slovno yarkiy sad.Shutki zveniat, glaza blestiat.Ronda kruzhitsa i poyot,svetitsa zviozdnïm serebrom nebosvod,mchatsa vesiolye parï…Eto radostnïy prazdnik pervïh tsvetov,eto prazdnik nashey liubvi!

24 ChernookayaMat’ dala tebe ochi zvezdï,nezhnïy tsvet tvoih smuglïh schok,milaya moya!S bol’yu f serdtse nochyu pozdneybez tebia ya brozhu, odinok,milaya moya!Ah, za chto ya nakazan bïl sud’boy?Ah, zachem povstrechalsia ya s toboy?Ya umru ot liubvi bezumnoy, yesli tï ne poliubish

menia,milaya moya!

The limitless sky is covered with little stars,they are abundant in the starry night.I tell my sweetheartthe names of all these numberless stars.I value my knowledgeand charge her a kiss for every name.Strange, the lesson seems easy to her,everything but the stars!Pity, it’s too late to start again…Pity, it’s getting light already…Pity, the stars o’er the baydo not tremble shyly also in the daylight…

The First Time I Met YouOnce you gave me some water near the stream;it was fresh and cold like snow in blue mountains’

canyons.Your eyes are darker than night,and your braids have the aroma of wild mint petals…

See the round-dance spinning again,hear the tambourine rattling, jingling and singing.Each dancer is leading his girlfriend,people are looking at them in admiration.Beat, tambourine, beat, rattle like thunder!I am dancing with my sweetheart,her ribbon is azure as the sky!Beat, tambourine, beat! Beat, tambourine! Beat,

tambourine!

I’ll never forget that first time I met you,tender words, and swarthy hand, and shining black

eyes…It was then that I understoodthat I loved you and would love you forever!

See the round-dance spinning again,hear the tambourine rattling, jingling and singing.Each dancer is leading his girlfriend,people are looking at them in admiration.Beat, tambourine, beat, rattle like thunder!I am dancing with my sweetheart,her ribbon is azure as the sky!Beat, tambourine, beat! Beat, tambourine! Beat,

tambourine!

7

Five romances on words from Krokodil magazine, No.24 of August 30, 1965Autographic Testimony (Issayev N. M., retired)At Khvorostianka I get on the bus.The driver tickets the passengers.I put the question to him,why didn’t he stop at Khokhly?He stands there, silent.I repeat the question, why didn’t you stop at Khokhly?

He mumbles something about the asphalt. Well, if…well, but…

Without a second thought, I perform a body tilt forward,

I concentrate all my feeble power in my right fist,

and, using a boxing method, I plant one on the left chapof that rude boor.

And all I said to him at that moment was,Here’s your asphalt, you rude mug.Such are the procedures one sometimes has to apply to

eradicate rudeness.Please don’t think for a moment that I was drunk. I am

sixty-seven years old,and that morning I hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

A Difficult Desire to FulfilI am a single man, and I need a lot of money.I cannot find a wife so as not to suffer from lack of

money,therefore I expressly: send me one as soon as possible,and if there is such one in Moscowwho would provide me with food and drink and not

demand money for that,advise me her address. Please.

DiscretionAlthough the ruffian Fedulov did beat me,I did not report this to our remarkable police force.

I decided to restrict myself to the thrashing already received.

Irinka and the ShepherdShe is looking down the steep hillsideat the cows lying near the waterside,at the amusingly short, when seen from above, figure of

the shepherd.From her vantage point he looks like a little boy.And lrinka suddenly feels a strong desire to squeeze him

in her hands,and to toss him up into the clear azure sky over and over.The shepherd cannot see lrinka.Stocky and broad-shouldered, he is sitting with his back

to her, peeling an egg.And lrinka feels a terrible desire to squeeze him.

Piat’ Romansov na slova iz zhumala «Krokodil»

2 Sobstvennoruchnoye pokazaniye (Isayev N.M.)V Hvorostianke fhozhu v avtobus.Shofior obilechivayet passazhirov.Obraschayus’ k nemu s voprosom:pochemu v Hohlah on ne sdelal ostanovki?Stoit, molchit.Povtoriayu vopros: pochemu v Hohlah ne sdelal

ostanovki?On shto-to promiamlil pro asfal’t…Da kabï… da

yezheli…Ne dolgo dumaya, delayu naklon tulovischa vperiod,

sosredotachivayu fsiu svoyu silionku vpravomkulake

i po metodu boksa vlepliayu vlevoye zhevalo etogo bama.

I yedinstvenno, shto ya skazal yemu v etot moment:na zh tebe asfal’t, hamskaya tvoya rozha.Vot kakiye meropriyatiya prihoditsa primeniat’ k

izzhïtiyu hamstva.Ne podumayte, shto ya bïl pyan. Mne shest’desiat

sem’ let,i v to utro ya yescho ne zavtrakal.

3 Trudno ispolnimoye zhelaniyeYa holost, i mne trebuyetsa mnogo deneg.Zhenï takoy ne mogu nayti, shtobï ne nuzhdalsia

den’gami,a poetomu userdno proshu: vïshlite pobïstrey,a yesli yest’ v Moskve takaya,shtobï kormila, poila, i deneg s menia ne sprashivala,

to soobschite mne eyo adres. Pozhaluysta.

4 BlagorazumiyeHotia huligan Fedulov izbil menia,ya v organï nashey zamechatel’noy militsiyi ne

obratilsia.Reshil ogranichitsa poluchennïmi poboyami.

5 Irinka i pastuhOna gliadit pod kruchu vniz,na uliogshihsia u vodï korov,na zabavno korotkuyu, kogda smotrish sverhu,

figurku pastuha.Otsiuda on pohozh na mal’chishku.I Irinke vdrug ochen’ hochetsa potiskat’ yego v

rukah,dolgo podkidïvat’ v chistoye, goluboye nebo.Pastuhu Irinka ne vidna.Korenastïy, shirokoplechiy, on sidit k ney spinoy i

lupit yaytso.A Irinka uzhasno hochet yego potiskat’.

Your mother gave you a tall stature,and the black shine of unruly locks,my sweetheart!I curse my cruel fate,the pain and tortures of my soul,my sweetheart!Oh, why did your mother manageto give you such beauty, the worse for me?I will die of my desperate love if you won’t love me,

my sweetheart!

DreamI don’t know what this could mean…I had a marvellous dream,as if I was riding in a fishing boatover stormy waves…The boat has no oars,I have dropped them…

The waves are foaming angrily, trying to sink my boat,but I am bravely riding among enormous dark waves,

because you, too, are riding,in that fishing boat, my proud one, together with me,and you seem to love me too! O my dove!See how this poor guy who loves you so

is dashing across the seain his fragile little boat!

A foreword to my complete works and a briefcontemplation with respect to this foreword

I scribble on paper in a spurt;Then I hear catcalls, and my ear’s not hurt;Then I torment the ears of all the world;Then have it printed, and forever unrecalled.This is a foreword that might be writtennot only for my Complete Works,but also to the complete works of many, many other

composers,both Soviet and foreign.And here is the signature: Dmitri ShostakovichPeople’s artist of the USSR.Followed by many other titles of honour:First secretary, Union of Composers of the RSFSR

(Simply the) secretary, Union of Composers of the USSRAs well as very many other quite important

responsibilities and positions.

Mat’ dala tebe stan vïsokiy,chornïy blesk nepokornïh kudrey,milaya moya!Proklinayu rok zheslokiy,bol’ i muki dushi moyey,milaya moya!O, zachem zhe tebe sumela mat’Mne nazlo krasotu takuyu dat’?Ya umru ot liubvi bezumnoy, yesli tï ne poliubish

menia,milaya moya!

25 SonNe znayu, shto eto znachit…Son chudesnïy prisnilsia mne,kak budto v lodke rïbachyeyya plïvu po burnoy volne.Choln bez v’osel,ya ih brosil…

Volnï peniatsa, zliatsa i topiat moy choln,no otvazhno mchus’ ya sredi tiomnïh, sred’

ogromnïh voln,ottovo, shto v rïbachyey eloy lodkepo morskoy nepokornoy glubi mchishsa tï,moya gordaya, mchishsia vmeste so mnoyi menia tï budto tozhe liubish!O, moya golubka!Posmotri zhe, kak nesiotsa v svoyey lodochke

hrupkoypo moriu bednïy paren’,shto tak krepko liubit tebia!Russian transliteration: Lev Hrol, ed. V. Morosan

Compact Disc 29

1 Predisloviye k polnomu sobraniyu moih sochineniy i kratkoye razmïshleniye po povodu etovo predisloviyaMarayu ya yedinïm duhom list;Vnimayu ya privïchnïm uhom svist;Potom fsemu terzayu svetu sluh;Potom pechatayus’ – i v Letu buh!Takoye predisloviye mozhno bïlo b napisat’ne tol’ko k polnomu sobraniyu moih sochineniy,no i k polnomu sobranyu sochineniy mnogih,

ochen’, ochen’ mnogih kompozitorov,kak sovetskih, tak i zarubezhnïh.Avot i podpis’: Dmitriy Shostakovich.Narodnïy artist ES ES ES ER.Ochen’ mnogo i drugih pochotnïh zvaniy.Pervïy sekretar’ Soyuza kompozitorov ER ES EF ES

ER.Prosto sekretar’ Soyuza kompozitorov ES ES ES ER.A takzhe ochen’ mnogo drugih ves’ma otvetstvennïh

nagruzok i dolzhnostey.

8

The City SleepsThe city sleeps, veiled in haze,the streetlamps flicker faintly…Far away, beyond the Neva,I see the glow of dawn.

In this far-off reflection,in these glimmers of flamehides the awakeningof sad days awaiting me…

The TempestOh, how madly the evil tempestrages and roars outside my window!The clouds rush by, pouring down rain,and the wind howls, then fades!

Horrific night! In such a nightI pity those deprived of shelter,and the pity drives me outside – into the embrace of the damp chill!

There, to brave the darkness and the rain,sharing the lot of the sufferers…Oh, how madly the wind ragesoutside my window in torment!

Secret SignsSecret signs light upupon a solid, relentless wall.Golden and red poppiesbrood over me in my sleep.

I hide away in caves of the nightand do not remember the stern magic.At the dawn, azure chimeraslook out from the mirrors of the bright sky.

I run away to moments in the past,and close my eyes in fear,and a maids’ golden tresses lieupon the pages of the book that grows ever colder.

The heaven has already lowered above me,a black dream broods in my breast.My forecast end is near,ahead are the war and the fire.

10 Gorod spitGorod spit, okutan mgloyu,chut’ mertsayut fonari…Tam dalioko, za Nevoyu,vizhu otbleski zari.

V etom dal’nem otrazhen’yi,v etih otbleskah ogniapritailos’ probuzhden’yedney tosklivïh dlia menia…

11 BuriaO, kak bezumno za oknomreviot, bushuyet buria zlaya,nesutsa tuchi, l’yut dozhdiom,i veter voyet, zamiraya!

Uzhasna noch! V takuyu nochmne zhal’ liudey, lishonnïh krovai sozhalen’ye gonit proch –v obyat’ya holoda sïrogo!…

Borotsa s mrakom i dozhdiom,stradal’tsev uchast’ razdeliaya…O, kak bezumno za oknombushuyet veter, iznïvaya!

12 Taynïe znakiRazgorayutsa taynïye znakina gluhoy, neprobudnoy stene.Zolotïye i krasnïye makinado mnoy tiagoteyut vo sne.

Ukrïvayus v nochnïye pescherïi ne pomniu surovïh chudes.Na zare – golubïye himerïsmotriat v zerkale yarkih nebes.

Ubegayu v proshedshiye migi,zakrïvayu ot straha glaza,na listah holodeyuschey knigi – zolotaya devichya kosa.

Nado mnoy nebosvod uzhe nizok,chornïy son tiagoteyet v grudi.Moy konets prednachertannïy blizok,i voyna, i pozhar – vperedi.

Exaggerated DelightThe first bread!Tell me, who of you has never enjoyed eating a slice of

bread of a new harvest?How nicely it smells. It’s a smell of the sun, of fresh

straw,and most importantly, of the combine driver’s hands

soaked in kerosene.

Seven Poems by Alexander BlokOphelia’s SongParting with your beloved maiden,you swore that you would love, my friend!…That you would keep your oath,leaving for that dreary land!…There, far from happy Denmark,your shores are veiled with fog…Big, angry, and grumbling waveswash tears off the cliff…The sweet warrior will not be backall clad in silver…The ribbon and the black plumewill mournfully stir in the coffin…

Gamauyn the Soothsaying Bird(A picture by V. Vasnetsov)On the smooth endless waterswhich the sunset has clad in purple,she prophesies and she sings,unable to spread her confused wings…

She prophesies the oppression by wicked Tartars,a line of bloody executions,earthquakes, and famine, and fires,the might of villains and the demise of the

righteous…

Obsessed by eternal horror,the beautiful visage beams with love,but the blood-covered lipspronounce prophetic truths!…

We Were TogetherWe were together, I remember that…The night was disturbed, the violin sang…You were mine in those days,and grew more lovely by the hour…

Through the quiet murmur of the streams,through the mystery of a womanly smile,the lips were longing for a kiss,the strains of the violin were longing towards the

heart…

6 Chrezmernïy vostorgPervïy hleb!Komu, skazhite, iz vas ne prihodilos’ syest’ lomot’

hleba novovo urozhaya?Kak on chudesno pahnet solntsem, molodoy solo-

moy,a glavnoye, kombayniorskimi rukami, propitannïmi

kerosinom.

Sem’ stikhotvoreniy Aleksandra Bloka7 Pesnia Ofelii

Razluchayas’ s devoy miloy,drug, tï klials’a mne liubit’!…Uyezzhaya vkray posfili’y,kliatvu dannuyn hranit’!…Tam, za Daniyey schastlivoy,berega tvoi vo mgle…Val serditïy, govorlivïymoyet sliozï na skale…Milïy voin ne verniotsa,ves’ odetïy v serebro…V grobe tiashko vskolïhniotsabant i chornoye pero…

8 Gamayun, ptitsa veschaya

Na gladiah beskonechnïh vod,zakatom v purpur oblechonnïh,ona veschayet i poyot,ne v silah krïl podniat’ smiationnïh…

Veschayet igo zlïh tatar,veschayet kazney riad krovavïh,i trus, i golod, i pozhar,zlodeyev silu, gibel’ pravïh…

Predvechnïm uzhasom obyat,prekrasnïy lik gorit liubovyu,no veschey pravdoyu zvuchatusta, zapekshiyesia krovïu!..

9 Mï bïli vmeste…Mi bïli vmeste, pomniu ya…Noch volnovalas’, skripka pela..Ti v eti dni bïla moya,tï s kazhdïm chasom horoshela…

Skvoz’ tihoye zhurchanye struy,skvoz’ taynu zhenstvennoy ulïbkik ustam prosilsia potseluy,prosilis’ v serdtse zvuki skripki…

9

Dialogue Between Hamlet and His Conscience“She’s on the river-bed, where mudAnd weeds are… She went to sleepIn them, but even there she can’t find sleep!”“But I did love her;Forty thousand brothersCould not love so!”“Hamlet! She’s on the river-bed,where there is mud; MudAnd the last little garlandHas floated upat the logs by the riverside…”“But I did love herAs forty thousand…”“Still less than one lover.She’s on the river-bed,where there is mud.”“But I… Did I love her?”

The Poet and the CzarAlong the otherworldlyHall of the Czars…Who’s this adamant,This marble one?

So majesticIn the gold of regalia.Wretched watchmanOf Pushkin’s glory.

Rebuking the authorAnd snipping his manuscript,The beastly butcherof Polish land.

Look at him sharper!Never forget:The SingerkillerCzar NicholasThe First.

16 Dialog Gamleta s sovest’yu– Na dne ona, gde ilI vodorosli…Spat’ v nih ushla, – No sna i tam net!– No ya yeyo liubil,Kak sorok tïsiachBratyev, liubil’ ne mogut!– Gamlet! Na dne ona,Gdeil: il!…I posledniyVenchik vsplïlNa prirechnïh briovnah– No ya yeyo liubil,Kak sorok tïsiach…– Men’she fsio zh,Chem odin liubovnik.Na dne ona, gde il.– No ya yeyo – liubi!…

17 Poet i tsar’PotustoronnimZalom tsar…Kto nepreklonnïyMramornïy sey?

Stol’ velichavïyV zolote barm.Pushkinskoy slavïZhalkiy zhandarm.

Avtora hayal,Rukopis’ strig.Pol’ skovo kraya -Zverskiy miasnik

Zorche vgliadisia!Ne zabïvay:PevtsoubiytsaTsar’ NikolayPervïy.

MusicAt night, when my disquietude falls asleepand the city disappears in the mist –oh, how much music God has,what sounds exist in the world!

What is the tempest of life to me, when your rosesflourish and blaze for me!What are human tears,when the sunset blushes crimson!

Accept, O Empress of the Universe –through blood, through torments, and through graves thefoaming cup of final passionfrom your unworthy slave!

Six Poems by Marina TsvetayevaMy VersesMy verses written so earlyThat I did not yet know I was a poet;Snapped off like splashes from a fountain,Like sparks from rockets,

Which rushed in like tiny devilsInto the sacred place where slumber and incense prevail,My verses of youth and death– Never-read verses! –

Scattered in the dust of bookshops(Where no one has ever bought them!),My verses, like vintage lvines,Will have their time!

Whence All This Tenderness?Whence all this tenderness?These curls are not the firstI ever stroked, and I’ve knownLips darker than yours.

Stars rose and faded(Whence all this tenderness?),Eyes rose and fadedSo close to my own eyes.

I used to hear sweeter songsIn the dark of the night(Whence all this tenderness?) Upon the very breast of the singer.

Whence all this tenderness?And what shall I do with it,O sly youth, O visiting singer,With eyelashes longest ever seen?

13 Muzi’kaV nochi, kogda usniot trevoga,i gorod skroyets’a vo mgle –o, skol’ko muzïki u Boga,kakiye zvuki na zemle!

Shto buria zhizni, yesli rozïtvoyi tsvetut mne i goriat!Shto chelovecheskiye sliozï,kogda rumianitsa zakat!

Primi, Vladïchitsa vselennoy,skvoz’ krof, skvoz’ muki, skvoz’ groba –posledney strasti kubok pennïyot nedostoynogo raba!

Shest’ stihotvoreniy Marinï Tsvetayevoy14 Moyi stihi

Moyim stiham, napisannïm tak rano,Shto i ne znala ya, shto ya – poet,Sorvavshimsia, kak brïzgi iz fontana,Kak iskrï iz raket,

Vorvavshimsia, kak malen’kiye cherti,F sviatilische, gde son i fimiam,Moyim stiham o yunosti i smerti,– Nechitannïm stiham! –

Razbrosannïm v pilï po magazinam(Gde ih nikto ne bral i ne beriot!),Moim stiham, kak dragotsennïm vinam,Nastanet svoy cheriod!

15 Otkuda takaya nezhnost’?Otkuda takaya nezhnost’?Ne pervïye – eti kudriRazglazhivayu, i gubïZnavala – temney tvoih.

Fshodili i gasli zviozdï(Otkuda takaya nezhnost’?),Fs’hodili i gasli ochiU samïh moih ochey.

Yescho ne takiye pesniYa slushala nochyu tiomnoy(Otkuda takaya nezhnost’?) – Na samoy grudi pevtsa.

Otkuda takaya nezhnost’?I shto s neyu delat’, otrokLukavïy, pevets zahozhiy,S resnitsami – net dlinney?

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Four Poems of Captain LebyadkinCaptain Lebyadkin’s LoveA red-hot glowing love grenadeBurst in Ignat’s breast.And once again, poor armless beast,He wept recalling Sevastopol’s cannonade.

Well I’ve never been to Sevastopol,and I ain’t even arntless,but just look at these rhymes!

And the star is flittering on horsebacksurrounded by other Amazons.And she’s smiling to me from horseback,that aristocratic female child.

To the Perfection of Mademoiselle Tushina.For the attention of: My Honorable lady ElizabethNikolaevnaO how sweet is she, Elizabeth Tushina,when, in the company of her relative,she rides side-saddle to and froand her curls play with the wind!Or when she, with her mother, falls prostrate in the

church,and rosiness appears on their religious faces!At such moments, I desire marital and legal delightsand I send after her, and her mother, my tears.

Supposing She Breaks Her LegThe Beauty of Beauties broke her Member, and

became twice as beautiful,And a man already deep in love became twice as

loving.Composed by an untaugbt man in tbe midst of an argument.

The CockroachOnce upon a time there was a Cockroach,A Cockroach from his childhood;One day he found himself in a GlassFilled to the brim with fly-eating.

(Oh my, what do you mean?)That is, when on a summer day flies crawl into a glass,fly-eating business begins –any fool can understand that.Don’t interrupt me, and you’ll see yourself!Here we go again, from the top:

Once upon a time there was a Cockroach,A Cockroach from his childhood;One day he found himself in a GlassFilled to the brim with fly-eating.

Chetïre stihotvoreniya kapitana Lebiadkina20 Liubov’ kapitaoa Lebiadkina

Liubvi pïlayuscheye granataLopnula v grudi Ignata.I vnov’ zaplakal gor’koy mukoyPo Sevastopoliu bezrukiy.

Hot’ v Sevastopole ne bïl,I dazbe ne bezrukiy,No kakovï zhe rifmï!

I porhayet zvezda na koneV horovode drugih amazonok;Ulïbayetsa s loshadi mneAristokraticheskiy rebionok.

Sovershenstvu devitsï Tushinoy.Milostivaya gosudarïn’ya Yelizaveta Nikolayevna!

O, kak mila ona, Yelizaveta Tushina,kogda s rodstvennikomna damskom sedle letayet,a lokon yeyo s vetrami igrayet,ili kogda s mater’yu f tserkvi padayet nits,

i zritsa rumianets blagogoveynïh lits!Togda brachnïh i zakonnïh naslazbdeniy zhelayui fsled yey, vmeste s materyu, slezu posilayu.

V sluchaye, yesli b ona slomala nogu.Krasa krasot slomala chlen i interesney vdvoye stala,

I vdvoye sdelalsia vliublion vliublionnïy uzh nemalo.

Sostavil neuchonïy za sporom.

21 TarakanZhil na svete tarakan,Tarakan ot detstva,I potom popal v stakan,Polnïy muhoyedstva.

Gospodi, shto takoye?To yest’, kogda letom v stakan nalezut muhi,to proiskhodit muhoyedstvo,fsiakiy durak poymiot,ne perebivayte, vï uvidite!Pozhaluysta, snachala!

Zhil na svete tarakan,Tarakan ot detstva,I potom popal v stakan,Polnïy muhoyedstva.

No, the Drum Did Beat…No, the drum did beat before the troubled troopsWhen we were burying a leader:It was the Czar’s teeth clattering honorary rufflesOver the dead singer.

It’s such an honor, that even the closest friendsAre left out. At his head, and feet,On the right and on the left, with arms at their sides,Only the gendarmes’ mugs and chests can be seen.

Isn’t it a wonder, even on the quietest of bedsTo remain a kid under guard?This honor looks like something, like something, like

somethingIt looks like too much of an honor indeed!

Behold, o my country, and see how, contrary to opinion,The Monarch cares about a poet!So homage-filled, homage-filled, homage-filled,Damned too much homage!

Who was this, dragged out like a thief,who’d been shot by fellow thieves?Atraitor? No. From the backdoor –The wisest man in Russia.

To Anna AkhmatovaO Muse of Weeping, the most beautiful of the Muses!O reckless issue of a white night!You send black blizzards to Russia,And your screams pierce us like arrows.

And we start, and a hollow “Oh!”Uttered by hundreds of thousands gives you an oath.Anna Akbmatova! – the name is a giant sigh,And it falls into a depth that has no name.

We are crowned in that we tread the same land,And the same sky is above us!And those who are wounded by your deathly fateWill be immortal descending to the bed of death.

Domes are gleaming in my singing town,And a blind wanderer glorifies Holy Saviour…And I grant unto you my pealing town,Akbmatova – complete lvith my heart.

18 Net, bil baraban…Net, bil baraban pered smutnïm polkom,Kogda mï vozhdia horonili:To zubï tsariovï nad miortvïm pevtsomPochotnuyu drob’ vïvodili.

Takoy uzh pochot, shto blizhayshim druzyamNet mesta, V izglav’ye, v iznozhye,I sprava, i sleva – ruchischi po shvam –Zhandarmskiye grudi i rozhi.

Ne divno li – i na tishayshem iz lozhPrebït’ podnadzorïm mal’chishkoy?Na shto-to, na shto-to, na shto-to pohozh

Pochot sey, pochotno – da slishkom!

Gliadi mol, strana, kak, molve vopreki,Monarh o poete pechotsa!Pochotno – pochotno – pochotno – arhi –Pochotno, pochotno – do chortu!

Kogo zh eto tak – tochno vorï voraPristreliannogo – vïnosili?Izmennika? Net. S prohodnogo dvora –Umneyshego muzha Rossii.

19 Anne AbmatovoyO muza placha, prekrasneyshaya iz muz!O tï, shal’noye ischadiye nochi beloy!Tï chonuyu nasïlaesh metel’ na Rus’,I vopli tvoi vonzayutsa v nas, kak strelï.

I mï sharahaemsia, i gluhoye: oh! –Stotïsiachnoye tebe prisiagaet.Anna Ahmatova! – eto imia ogromnïy vzdoh,I v glub’ on padayet, kotoraya bezïmianna.

Mï koronovanï tem, shto odnu s toboyMï zemliu topchem, shto nebo nad nami tozhe!I tot, kto ranen smertel’noy tvoyey sud’boy,Uzbe bessmertnïm na smertnoye skbodit lozhe.

F pevuchem grade moyom kupola goriat,I Spasa svedovo slavit slepets brodiachiy…I ya dariu tebe svoy kolokol’nïy grad,Ahmatova! – i serdtse svoyo v pridachu.

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He then started a revoltAnd escaping to foreign landsFrom the Czar’s prison,From tongs and tortures, from gallows and the

hangman;While the people, ready to rise upFrom under its deadly fate,In Smolensk, and in Tashkent, and everywhere,Eagerly awaited the student. Hey!

Yea, all waiting for him as one,To follow him unswervingly,To exterminate tile upper classes outright,To kill tile Czars totally, too,To make all property common,And to take revenge foreverOn Church, and Marriage, and Family,All those crimes of the old regime! Hey!

Two Fables by Ivan KrylovThe Dragon-fly and the AntThe carefree, hopping Dragon-flySang songs all summer long,Until at last she sawWinter advancing at a fast pace.The fields and meadows are barren,And the days when every leafOffered her board and lodgingAre over and gone.Yeah, they are gone! The cold winterBrings poverty and starvation.The Dragon-fly she sings no more.No wonder: who would singWith an empty stomach!Frightened and distressed,She crawls to the Ant and says,“Brother Ant, don’t leave me to die!Just give me a chance to survive:Please feed me, and warm meUntil the springtime.”The Ant to her replies,“Sister, this sounds strange to me;Did you work in summer at all?”“Oh honey, I had other things to do!Singing, frolicking in the soft grassDay after day is such a joy,And no wonder I went giddy…”“You mean, you…” – “Yes, I sang all summer longWithout a care.”“So all you did was sing? That’s just swell!Now go and dance!”

I vosstan’ye nachinaya,On bezhal v chuzhiye kraiIz tsariova kazemataOt knuta, schiptsov i kata.

A narod, vosstat’ gotovïyIz-pod uchasti surovoy,Ot Smolenska do TashkentaS neterpen’yem zhdal studenta. Eh!

Zhdal yevo on pogolovno,Shtob idti besprekoslovno,Poreshit’ vkonets boyarstvo,poreshit’ sovsem i tsarstvo,Sdelat’ obschimi imen’yaI predat’ naveki mschen’yuTserkvi, braki i semeystvo –Mira starovo zlodeystvo! Eh!

Compact Disc 30

Dve basni I. Krïlova1 Strekoza i Muravey

Poprïgun’ya strekozaLeto krasnoye propela;Oglianutsa ne uspela,Kak zima katit v glaza.Pomertvelo chisto pole;Net uzh dney teh sveilïh bole,Kak pod kazhdï yey listkomBï gotov i stol, i dom.Fsio proshlo; s zimoy holodnoyNuzhda, golod nastayot;Strekoza uzh ne poyot;I komu zhe v um poydiotNa zheludok pet’ golodnïy!Zloy toskoy udruchena,K Muravyu polziot ona:«Ne ostav’ menia, kum miloy!Day tï mne sobratsa s siloy,I do veshnih tol’ko dneyProkormi i obogrey».«Kumushka, mne stranno eto:Da rabotala l’ fï leto?»Govorit yey Muravey.«Do togo l’, golubchik bïlo?V miahkih muravah u nasPesni, rezvost’ fsiakiy chas,Tak shto golovu fskruzhïlo … »«A tak tï… » – «Ya bez dushïLeto tseloye fsio pela».«Tï fsio pela? Eto delo!Tak poydi zhe, popliashï!»

The Cockroach he took up room,The Flies they complained;“Our Glass is too much full,”They shouted up to Jupiter.

But, while they were screaming,Nikifor came up,A noblest old man he was…

Well the piece is a bit unfinished, but in plain words, itgoes like this:

Nikifor snatches the glass and, ignoring the screams,throws the whole story out into the garbage can, the Flies

complete with the Cockroach,and that should have been done long before.But mind you, lady, the Cockroach does not complain!As to old Nikifor, he is an allegory of Nature.

A Costume Ball for the Benefit of GovernessesHi, hello, governess!Rejoice and celebrate!Whether a straight girl, or a George Sandette,Never mind, cheer up now!

You teach snivel-nosed kidsTheir French ABCs,And you’re ready to wink even at a sacristan,Because you’d marry any male!

But in our times of Great Reformeven a sacristan won’t marry you.What you want is dough, cash, greenbacks,Or… back to those ABCs.

But today, when we have raisedSome cash at this dinner party,And are sending you a dowryFrom this hall where we’re having a ball –

Be you a straight girl, or a George Sandette,Never mind, cheer up now!You’ve got a dowry, governess,So have not a care and celebrate!

A Luminous PersonalityHe was no gentleman by birth,He grew up among the common people,But, persecuted by Czarist vengeance,And hateful envy of noble lords,He doomed himself to suffering,To punishment and torture and abuseAnd he went out to the people to declareFraternity, Equality, and Freedom. Hey!

Mesto zanial tarakan,Muhi vozroptali,Polon ochen’ nash stakan,K Yupiteru zakrichali.

No poka u nih shol krik,Podoshol Nikifor,Blagorodneyshiy starik…

Tut u menia ne dokoncheno, no fsio ravno, slovami…

Nikifor beriot stakan i, nesmotria na krik,vïplioskivaet v lohan’ fsiu komediyu, i muh, i

tarakana,shto davno nado bïlo sdelat’.No zamet’te, sudarynia, tarakan ne ropschet.Shto zhe kasaetsa do Nikifora, to on izobrazhaet

prirodu.

22 Bal v pol’zu guvernantokZdravstvuy, zdravstvuy guvernantka!Veselis’ i torzhestvuy,Retrogradka i zhorzhzandka,Fsio ravno teper’ likuy!

Uchish tï detey soplivïhPo-frantsuzki bukvariuI podmigivat’ gotova,Stobï vzial, hot’ ponmariu!

No v nash vek reform velikihNe vozmiot i ponomar’:Nado, barïshnia, «tolikih»,Ili snova za bukvar’.

No teper’, kogda piruya,Mï sobrali kapital,I pridanoye, tantsuya,Shliom tebe iz etih zal.

Retrogradka i zhorzhzandka,Vs’o ravno teper’ likuy!Ti s pridanïm, guvernantka,Pliuy na fsio i torzhestvuy!

23 Svetiaya lichnost’On ne znatnoy bïl porodï,On vozros sredi naroda,No, gonimïy mest’yu tsarskoy,Zlobnoy zavist’yu boyarskoy,On obriok sebia stradan’yu,Kazniam, pïtkam, istiazan’yuI poshol veschat’ naroduBratstvo, ravenstvo, svobodu. Eh!

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2 Osiol i SoloveyOsiol uvidel Solov’ya i govorit yemu:«Poslushay-ka, druzhïsche!Ti, skazïvayut, pet’ velikiy masterische:Hotel bï ochen ya sam posudit’, tvoyo uslïshav

pen’ye,Veliko l’ podlinno tvoyo umen’ye?»Tut Solovey yavliat’ iskusstvo stal:Na tïsiachu ladov tianul, perelivalsia;To nezhno on oslabevalI tomnoy vdaleke svirel’yu otdavalsia,To melkoy drob’yu vdrug po rosche rassïpalsia.Vnimalo fsio togda liubimtsu i pevtsu Avrorï;Zatihli veterki, zamolkli ptichek horï,I prilegli stada. Chut’-chut’ dïsha, pastuh im

liubovalsiaI tol’ko inogda, vnimaya solov’yu, pastushke

ulïbalsia.Skonchal pevets. Osiol, ustavias’ vzemliu lbom,

«Izriadno,-govorit, -skazat’ ne lozhno,Tebia bez skuki slushat’ mozhno;Azhal’, shto neznakomTï s nashïm petuhom;Yescho b fï bole navostrilsia,Kogda bï u nevo nemnoshko pouchilsia».UsIïsha sud takoy, moy bednïy soloveyFsporhnul i uletel za trideviat’ poley.Izbavi Bog i nas ot etakih sudey.

Shest’ romansov na slova yaponskih poetov3 Liubov’

Day tol’ko solntsu za goru zayti,K tebe ya skoro vïydu!Tiomnoy nochyu tï podoydiosh ko mne,Podobna utrenney zare,Krasiva, kak tsvetok, yedva rastsvetshïy,I ruku nezhnuyu, goriachuyu ot strasti i liubvi k

tebe,Ya polozhu na grud’ tvoyu.Drug k drugu mï prizhmiomsia;Liozha, tselovatsa budem,Ruki podlozhïv pod golovï vzamen podushek;Biodra sblizim. O, kak liubliu ya,Kak liubliu tebia ya strastno, nezhno, moya radost’.Kak tol’ko solntse za goru zaydiot, k tebe ya vïydu.

Before the SuicideLeaves fall down cheerlessly,Thick fog veils the pond.Wild geese cry, frightened,Upon the holy Lake Iware.Gloomy dreams oppress my head,My heart is burdened.A year from now, when wild geese cry again,I shall not hear them.

An Immodest GlanceA green and slender willowHad its waving trunk exposed,When the wafting windMoved the branches aside.And today, O my love,I saw your legs,When the wafting windWas playing with your kimono.

The First and the Last TimeI plucked your flower and you were mine.I pressed you against my breast,Pressed you to my heart, and we were one.That night flew away, and I sawThat you were not with me any longer.And only pain, and only pain remained.You will have many more flowers,Fragrant and wonderful,But my time to pluck flowers is gone,And I have no loved one in the dark of night.And only pain, and only pain remains…

Hopeless LoveWhy do I love you, when you never,Never will be mine?It is not I who will caress you,Not I who will fall asleep beside you,Exhausted by your caresses.Why, then, do I love you?

DeathI am dying…I am dying not knowing what love is.She never loved me,She did not wait for me impatientlyWhenever I left.I am dying, for no one can live without love.

4 Pered samoubiystvomUnïlo sïpliutsa listï.Gustoy tuman prud zastilayet.Gusi dikiye krichat napuganoNa ozere sviatom Ivare.Snï mrachnïye vitayut nad moyey glavoy,Na serdtse tiazhest’.Cherez god, kogda razdastsa snova krik gusey,Ya ne uslïshu ih.

5 Neskromnïy vzgliadU ivï zelionoy i tonkoyObnazhïlsia koleblemïy stvol,Kogda veyuschiy veterV storonu vetvi otviol.A sevodnia, o radost’ moya,Ya nogi tvoi uvidal,Kogda tvoim kimonoVeyuschiy veter igral.

6 F pervïy i f posledniy razYa sorval tvoy tsvetok, tï moya.Ya prizhal tebia k serdtsu,K serdtsu i slilsia s toboy.Kogda noch otletela, ya uvidel,Shto tebia so mnoyu bol’she net.Ostalas’ lish bol’, lish bol’.Mnogo yescho budet u tebia tsvetov,Blagouhannïh i divnïh,No moyo vremia rvat’ tsvetï proshlo,I f tiomnoy nochi net u menia miloy.Ostalas’ lish bol’, lish bol’ …

7 Beznadiozhnaya liubov’Zachem ya liubliu tebia, ved’ nikogda,Nikogda tï ne budesh moyey?Ne ya budu laskat’ tebia,Ne ya, istomlionnïy tvoimi laskami,Usnu riadom s toboy.Zachem zhe ya liubliu tebia?

8 Smert’Ya umirayu…Ya umirayu ne znaya liubvi.Menia ona ne liubila,Ona ne zhdala menia s neterpen’yem,Kogda ya uhodil.Ya umirayu, potomu shto nel’zia zhït’ bez liubvi.

The Donkey and the NightingaleA Donkey sees a Nightingale and says to him,“Hey, there, my friend,They say you’re a wonderful singer.l’d really like to listen to you and judge myself,

Is your talent truly as great as all that?”So the Nightingale began to show his skill:He chanted and warbled his song in a thousand keys;Now gently fadingAnd echoing afar, as would a languid flute,Then suddenly scattering his finest trills over the grove.All creatures listened to Aurora’s favourite singer;The wind ceased to blow, the birds’ choirs became still,The herds lay down. Scarcely breathing, a shepherd

adored him in wonder,And, listening, only occasionally smiled at his

shepherdess.The singer finished. The Donkey spoke, his brow to the

ground:“Not bad,” he said, “in all honesty,I listened to you, and was not even bored.It’s a pity, though,That you don’t know our Rooster.If you learned a bit from him,You would sing even sweeter.”Hearing this verdict, poor NightingaleTook wing and flew a thousand miles away.O God! Preserve us from such judges!

Six Romances on Lyrics by Japanese PoetsLoveThe moment the sun sets behind the mountain,I will come out to you!You will approach me in the dark of nightlike a morning dawn,beautiful as a newly blossoming flower,and I will put my gentle hand, a hand hot with

passion out of love for you,I’ll put it upon your breast.We’ll hug each other tight,And, lying down, we’ll kiss,With our hands under our heads instead of cushions,And bring our hips together. Oh how I love you,How I love you, passionately and tenderly, my joy!When the sun sets behind the mountain, l’ll come out to

you.

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O meek and peaceful angel,Softly say farewell to me.Grow sad; either raise or cast downYour tender eyes;

And your remembranceFor my soul will be a substituteFor Power, Pride, AspirationAnd Bravery of young days.

StanzasWhether I walk along noisy streets,Or enter a crowded church,Or sit among some wild youngsters,I always give way to my musings.

I say, “Now years have run by,And we, as many as we are here,AlI will go down under eternaI vaults,And for some, the time is already at hand.”

Whenever I see a Ione oak,I muse, “This patriarch of the woodsWill outlast my forgettable age,Just as it has outlasted our fathers.”

Whenever I caress a lovely child,l’m ready to think, “Farewell!l’m making way for you;It’s time I vanished, while you blossom.”

It is my habit to think in earnestOf each new day and year,Trying to guess the dateOf my inevitable death.

And where am I destined to die?In a battle, while travelling, or in the waves?Or will the nearby valeTake in my dead-cold remains?

And though any pIace where to moldWill be the same to my unfeeling body,But still I would wish to lie in a graveThat is nearer my homeland.

And let young Life playAt the entrance to my tomb,And let nonchalant NatureShine in its eternal beauty.

Angel krotkiy, bezmiatezhnïy,Tiho molvi mne prosti,Opechal’sia: vzor svoy nezhnïyPodïmi il’ opusti;

I tvoyo vospominan’yeZamenit dushe moyeySilu, gordost’, upovan’yeI otvagu yun dney.

12 Stanzi’Brozhu li ya vdol’ ulits shumnïh,Fhozhu l’ vo mnogoliudnïy hram,Sizhu l’ mezh yunoshey bezumnïh, –Ya predayus’ moim mechtam.

Ya govoriu: promchalis’ godï,I skol’ko zdes’ ne vidno nas,Mi fse soydiom pod vechnï svodï –I chey-nibud’ uzh blizok chas.

Gliazhu l’ na dub uyedinionnïy,Ya mïsliu: patriarh lesovPerezhïviot moy vek zabvennïy,Kak perezhïl on vek ottsov.

Mladentsa l’ milovo laskayu,Uzhe ya dumayu: prosti!Tebe ya mesto ustupayu:Mne vremia tlet’, tebe tsvesti.

Den’ kazhdïy, kazhduyu godinuPrivïk ya dumoy provozhdat’,Griaduschey smerti godovschinuMezh ih starayas’ ugozhdat’.

I gde mne smert’ poshliot sud’bina?V boyu li, v stranstvii, v volnah?Ili sosedniaya dolinaMoy primet oh;adevshïy prah?

I hot’ beschustvennomu teluRavno povsiudu istlevat’,No blizhe k milomu predeluMne fsio b hotelos’ pochivat’.

I pust’ u grobovogo fhodaMladaya budet zhïzn’ igrat’I ravnodushnaya prirodaKrasoyu vechnoyu siyat’.

Four Romances on Words by Alexander PushkinRenaissanceA barbarous painter may stain a genius’s pictureWith his lazy paintbrush,And foolishly drawHis own lawless pattern over it.

But time goes on, and the wrong paintWill peel off like worn scales,And the genius’s masterpiece will emergeIn all its former beauty.

Likewise, delusions peel offFrom my tormented soul,Giving way to visionsOf earlier and purer days.

Weeping Bitterly, a Jealous Maiden Reproached a YoungManWeeping bitterly, a jealous maidenReproached a young man.The lad suddenly felI asleepLeaning against her shoulder.

The maid fell silent at once,Cherishing his ethereal sleep,And she smiled at him,Shedding quiet tears.

AnticipationAgain I see dark cloudsAbove me in silence;Once again, envious FateThreatens me with distresses…

Will I retain my contempt for Destiny?Or will I surrender to itThe adamant, enduring spiritOf my proud young days?

Worn out by my turbulent life,I impassively await the tempest:But I may yet be saved,And find a new haven…

But anticipating our parting,That inevitable and frightful moment,My angel, I hasten to squeezeYour hand for the last time.

Chetïre romansa na slova A.S. Pushkina9 Vozrozhdenie

Hudozhnik varvar kistyu sonnoyKartinu geniya chernitI svoy risunok bezzakonnöyNad ney bessmïslenno chertit.

No kraski chuzhdïe s letamiSpadayut vethoy cheshuyoy;Sozdan’ye geniya pred namiVïhodit s prezhney krasotoy.

Tak ischezayut zabluzhden’yaS izmuchennoy dushï moyey,I voznikayut vney viden’yaPervonachal’nïh, chistïh dney.

10 Yunoshu, gor’ko rïdaya, revnivaya deva branila…

Yunoshu, gor’ko rïdaya,Revnivaya deva branila;Kney na plecho preklonion,Yunosha vdrug zadremal.

Deva totchas umolkla,Son yego liogkiy leleya,I ulïbalas’ yemu,Tihie sliozï liya.

11 PredchuvstviyeSnova tuchi nado mnoyuSobralisia v tishïne;Rok zavistlivïy bedoyuUgrozhaet snova mne…

Sohraniu l’ k sud’be prezren’ye?Ponesu l’ nafstrechu yeyNepreklonnost’ i terpen’yeGordoy yunosti moyey?

Burnoy zhïzn’yu utomlionnïy,Ravnodushno buri zhdu:Mozhet bït’, yescho, spasionnïy,Snova pristan’ ya naydu…

No predchuvstvuya razluku,Neizbezhnïy, groznïy chas,Szhat’ tvoyu, moy angel, rukuYa speshu v posledniy raz.

14

The Fool’s Songs1.That lord that counseled thee to give away thy land,Come pIace him here by me, do thou for him stand:The sweet and bitter fool will presently appear;The one in motley here – the other found out there.

2.Fools had ne’er less grace in a year;For wise men are grown foppish;And know not how their wits to wear,Their manners are so apish.

I have used it, nuncle, e’er sinceThou madest thy daughters thy mothers;For when thou gav’st them the rod,And putt’st down thine own breeches,

Then they for sudden joy did weep,And I for sorrow sing,That such a king should play bo-peep,And go the fool among.

3.He that keeps nor crust nor crum,Weary of all, shall want some.

4.The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long,

That it had its head bit off by its young.

5.Fathers that wear ragsDo make their children blind;But fathers that wear bagsShall see their children kind.

Fortune, that arrant whore,Never turns the key to the poor.

15 Pesni Shuta1.Tot, kto reshïlsia po kuskam stranu svoyu razdat’,Pust’ priobschitsa k durakam, on budet mne podstat’Mï stanem s nim ruka k ruke -dva kmglïh duraka:Odin vduratskom kolpake,dmgoy bez kolpaka!

2.Dlia durakov pechal’nïy den’:Vse umniki stranïMozgi nadeli nabekren’I stali mï ravnï

Ya priuchilsia pet’ s teh por, kak tï, Lir,Sdelal svoih dochek svoimi mamashami,Dal im vruki rozgiI spustil s sebia shtanishki.

Oni zaplakali ot shchastya,Aya zapel s toski,Uznav, shto moy korol’Bez vlasti igrayet vduraki.

3.HIebnïye kroshki, chorstvïye korkiMïshka golodnaya vspomnila v norke.

4.Vskormil kukushku vorobey,Bezdomnovo ptentsa.Atot voz’mi da i ubeyPriyomnovo ottsa!

5.Ottsov sanovnï i bogatïhLaskayut dochki i ziat’ya,Au kovo shtanY vzaplatah,Togo ne zhaluyet sem’ya.

Sud’ba – korïstnaja bludnitsa,Ona s golodnïm ne lozmtsa!

From the Music for ‘Hamlet’Ophelia’s SongTomorrow is Saint Valentine’s dayAll in the morning betimeAnd I a maid at your window,To be your Valentine:

Then up he rose, and donn’d his clothesAnd dupp’d the chamber-door;Let in the maid, that out a maidNever departed more.

By Gis, and by Saint Charity,Alack, and fye for shame!Young men will do ‘t, if they come to ‘t,By cock they are to blame.

Quoth she, before you tumbled me,You promised me to wed:So would I ha’ done, by yonder sun,An thou hadst not come to my bed.

King Lear – Incidental musicCordelia’s BalladThere is a tall house on a cliffAcross the dark sea.Birds have their nests on that cliff,But the house is empty.

The hearth has been dead for a long, long time,No voice can be heardBut for the wind, a boisterious guestThat troubles the quiet owls.

It brings a message from far awayThat the lord has disappeared,That Merlin has stolen him away,Across the sea, beyond the cloud.

In a far-off green landHe rides a black ghost horse,He is clad in armor of gold,And he sees the house in his dreams.

The wind it flows, and it sings,And weeps in his memory,But no one responds,For the tall house is empty.

Muzïka k spektakliu “Gamlet”13 Pesenka Ofelii

Zautra Valentinov den’,I s utrennim luchomYa Valentinoyu tvoyeyZhdu pod tvoim oknom.

On vstal na zov, bïl vmig gotov,Zatvorï s dveri snial,Vpuskal k sebe on devu v dom,Ne devu vïpuskal.

Klianus’ Hristom, Sviatïm Hristom,Pozor, i sram, beda.Uvseh muzhchin konets odinIl’ net u nih stïda.

Ved’ tï menia poka ne smial,Zhenoy hotel nazvat’ ,I bïlo b tak, srazi nas vrag,Ne liag tï ko mne vkrovat’ .

Muzïka k spektakliu “Korol’ Lir”14 Ballada Kordelii

Za tiomnïm morem na skaleStoit vïsokiy domoGnezdiatsa ptitsï na skale,No pusto v dome tom.

Davno, davno potuh ochag,Ne slïshno golosov,I tol’ko veter, buynïy gost’,Trevozhït tihih sov.

Prinios on vest’ izdaleka,Shto gospodin ischez,Shto za moria i oblakaYego unios Merlin.

V zelionoy dal’ney storoneNa chornom prizrachnom kone,On skachet v zolotoy brone,No vidit dom vo sne.

Letayet veter i poyotI plachet on o niom,Ne otklikayetsa nikto,I pust vïsokiy dom.

15

Six Romances to Verses of W. Raleigh, R. Burnsand W. ShakespeareSir Walter Raleigh to his Sonne (W. Raleigh)Three things there be that prosper up apaceAnd flourish whilst they grow asunder far,But on a day they meet all in one pIace,And they meet they one another mar;And they be these – the wood, the weed, the wag.The wood is that which makes the galiow tree,The weed is that which strings the hangman’s bag,The wag, my pretty knave, betokenth thee.Mark well, dear boy: whilst these assemble not,Green Springs the tree, hemp grows, the wag is wild;But when they meet, it makes the timber rot,It frets the halter, and it chokes the child.Then bless thee, and beware, and let us prayWe part not with thee at this meeting day.

Oh wert thou in the cauld blast (R. Burns)Oh wert thou in the cauld blast,On yonder lea, on yonder lea;My plaidie to the angry airt,l’d shelter thee, l’d shelter thee:Or did misfortune’s bitter stormsAround thee blaw, around thee blaw,Thy field should be my bosom,To share it a’, to share it a’?

Or were I in the wildest waste,Sae black and bare, sae black and bare,The desart were a paradise,Ii thou wert there, if thou wert there.Or were I monarch o’ the globe,Wi’ thee to reign, wi’ thee to reign;The brightest jewel in my crown,Wad be my queen, wad be my queen.

Shest’ Romansov na slova W. Raleigh, R.Burns i W. Shakespeare

16 SïnuTri veschi yest’ , ne vedayuschih goria,Poka sud’ba ih vmeste ne svela,No nekiy den’ ih zastignet v sbore,I v etot den’ im ne uyti ot zia.Te veschi: roscha, porosI’, podrostok;Iz lesa v briovnah – viselits mostï,Iz konopli – veriovki dlia zahliostok,Povesa i podrostok eto tï.Zamet’, druzhok, im vroz’ ne narezvitsa;V soku trava i les, i sorvanets,No pust’ soydutsa: skripnet polovitsa,Strunoy veriovka – i yuntsu konets.Pomolimsia s toboy ob izbezhan’yeUchastiya v ih rokovom svidan’ye.

17 V poliakh pod snegom i dozhdiomV poliah pod snegom i dozhdiom,Moy milïy drug, moy bednïy drug,Tebia ukrïl bï ya plaschomOt zimnih vyug, ot zimnih vyug.Ayesli muka suzhdenaTebe sud’boy, tebe sud’boy,Gotov ya skorb’ tvoyu do dnaDelit’ s toboy, delit’ s toboy.

Puskay soydu vo mrachnïy dol,Gde noch krugom, gde t’ma krugom, –Vo t’me ya solntse bï nasholStoboy vdvoyom, s toboy vdvoyom.I yesli b dali mne vudelVes’ shar zemnoy, ves’ shar zemnoy,Skakim bï shchastyem ya vladelToboy odnoy, toboy odnoy.

6.When priests are more in word than matter;When brewers mar their malt with water;When nobles are their tailors’ tutors;No heretics burned, but wenches’ suitors;When every case in law is right;No squire in debt, nor no poor knight;When slanders do not live in tongues;Nor cutpurses come not to throngs;When usurers till their gold in the field;And bawds and whores do churches build;Then shall the realm of AlbionCome to great confusion.Then comes the time, who lives to see it,That going shall be used with feet.

7.A fox when one has caught her,And such a daughter,Should sure to the slaughter,If my cap would buy a halter;So the fool follows after.

8.The cod-piece that will house,Before the head has any,The head and he shall louse; –So beggars marry many.

The man that makes his toeWhat he his heart should make,Shall of a corn cry woe,And turn his sleep to wake.

9.

He that has and a little tiny wit, –With heigh, ho, the wind and the rain, –Must make content with his fortunes fit,Though the rain it raineth every day.

10.That, sir, which serves and seeks for gain,And follows but for form,Will pack, when it begins to rain,And leave thee in the storm.

But I will tarry; the fool will stay,And let the wise man fly:The knave turns fool that runs away;The fool’s no knave, perdy.

6.Kogda otkazhetsa sviaschennikKrivit’ dushoyu iz-za denegI perestanet pivovarVodoyu razbavliat’ tovar,Kogda naskuchit kavaleramUchitsa u portnïh maneram,Kogda yeretikov monahSzhïgat’ ne stanet na kostrah,Kogda sud’ya greshït’ ne budetI bez prichinï ne zasudit,Kogda umolknet kleveta,Zamok povesiv na usta,Kogda bludnitsa hram postroit,A rostovschik sunduk otkroyet,Togda-to budet Al’bionDo osnovanya potriasion,Togda hodit’ mï budem s vamiVverh golovami, vniz nogami.

7.Lisa-plutovka i dochka korolia –Odna bï vam veriovka, odna bï vam petlia!Prodam kolpak, kupliu petliu,Durak – priyatel’ koroliu!

8.Shtanï nuzhnï, dayu vam slovo,No priyuti bashku sperva,Il’ obovshïveyet bez krovaTvoya sedaya golova.

Vkom serdtse zhostkoye kak piatka,Teh ne smutit chuzhaya bol’,No spat’ oni ne budut sladko,Kogda natrut sebe mozol’.

9.Gey, go, gey, go,Tot, kto v neschast’ye vladeyet soboy, –Molniya, grom i grad, –V buriu i v dozhd’ ne drozhït pred sud’boy,Bud’ oni sutki podriad!

10.Kto sluzhït tol’ko dlia tovo,Shtobï izvlech dohodï,Tebia ostavit odnovoVo vremia nepogodï.

No on s toboy – tvoy vernïy shut,Sluzhïl on ne dlia denegoOn zhalkiy shut, no on ne plut!Durak, no ne moshennik!

16

Jenny (R. Burns)Comin thro’ the rye, poor body,Comin’ thro’ the rye,She draigl’t a’ her petticoatieComin thro’ the rye.Chorus: Oh Jenny’s a’ weet, poor body,Jenny’s seidom dry;She draigl’t a’ her petticoatieComin thro’ the ryeGin a body meet a bodyComin thro’ the ryeGin a body kiss a bodyNeed a body cry.Gin a body meet a bodyComin thro’ the glenGin a body kiss a bodyNeed the warld ken!Chorus: Oh Jenny’s a’ weet, etc.

Sonnet LXVI (W. Shakespeare)Tir’d with all these, for restful death I cry, – As to behoId desert a beggar born,And needy nothing trimmed in jollity,And purest faith unhappily forsworn,And gilded honour shamefully misplac’d,And maiden virtue rudeIy strumpeted,And right perfection wrongfully disgrac’d,And strength by limping sway disabIed,And art made tongue-tied byauthority,And folly (doctor-like) controlling skill,And simple truth miscall’d simplicity,And captive good attending captain ill:Tir’d with all these, from these would I be gone,Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.

21. The King’s Campaign (after the nursery rhymeThe Grand Old Duke of York)The King rode uphill leading forces, foot and horse;The King walked downhill, this time without any foot

or horse.

The Counter-Plan SongThe morning cheers us with its freshness,The river cheers us with its wind.My curly one, are you not cheeredBy the merry song of the hooter?Wake up, get up, my curly one.Workshops are dinging,The country gets up in gloryTo meet a new day.

19 Yenni Probirayas’ do kalitkiPolem, vdol’ mezhï,Dzhenni vïmokla do nitkiVecherom vo rzhï.Pripev: Ochen’ holodno devchonke,Byot devchonku drozh:Zamochila fse yubchonki,Idia cherez rozh.Yesli kto-to zval kovo-toSkvoz’ gustuyu rozhI kovo-to obnial kto-to,Shto s nevo voz’miosh?I kakaya nam zabota,Yesli u mezhïTselovalsia s kem-to kto-toVecherom vo rzhï!Pripev: Ochen’ holodno devchonke…

20 Sonnet LXVIIzmuchas’ fsem, ya umeret’ hochu.Toska smotret’, kak mayetsa bedniakI kak shutia zhïviotsa bogachu,I doveriat’ , i popadat’ vprosak;I nabliudat’, kak naglost’ lezet v svetI chest’ devichya katitsa ko dnu;I znat’, shto hodu sovershenstvam net,I videt’ moshch u nemoshchi v plenu,I fspominat’, shto mïsli zamknut rot,I razum snosit gluposti hulu,I priamodushye prostotoy slïviot,I dobrota prisluzhivayet zIu.Izmuchas’ fsem, ne stal bï zhït’ i dnia,Da drugu budet trudno bez menia.

21 Korolevskiy pokhod

Po sklonu vverh korol’ poviol polki svoih strelkov.Po sklonu vniz korol’ soshol, no tol’ko bez polkov.

Compact Disc 31

1 Pesn’a o vstrechnomNas utro vstrechajet prohladoj,nas vetrom vstrechajet reka,Kudr’avaja, chto zh ty ne radaVes’olomy penju gudka?Ne spi, vstavaj, kudr’avaja,V tsehah zven’a,Strana vstajot so slavojuNa vstrechu dn’a.

Macpherson’s Farewell (R. Burns)Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong,The wretch’s destinie!Macpherson’s time will not be long,On yonder gallows-tree.Chorus: Sae rantingly, sae wantonly, Sae dauntingly gae’d he:He play’d a spring, and danc’dit roundBelow the gallows-tree.

O what a death but parting breath?On many a bloody plainl’ve dared his face, and in this placeI scorn him yet again!

Untie these bands from off my hands,And bring to me my sword;And there’s no a man in all Scotland,But I’ll brave him at a word.

l’ve lived a life of sturt and strifeI die by treacherie:It burns my heart I must departAnd not avenged be.

Now farewell, light, thou sunshine bright,And all beneath the sky!May coward shame distain his name,The wretch that dares not die!Chorus: Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,Sae dauntingly gae'd he:He play'd a spring, and danc'd it roundBelow the gallows-tree.

18 Makferson pered kazniuTak veselo, otchayannoShol k viselitse onoFposledniy chas f posledniy pliasPustilsia Makferson.Pripev: Privet vam, tiur’mï korolia,Gde zhïzn’ vlachat rabï!Menia sevodnia zhdiot petliaI gladkiye stolbï.

Fpoliah voynï, sredi mechey,Fstrechal ya smert’ ne raz,No ne drozhal ya pered ney, –Ne drognu i seychas!

Razbeyte stal’ moih okov,Vernite moy dospeh,Pust’ vïydut desiat’ smelchakov,Ya odoleyu fseh!

Ya zhïzn’ svoyu proviol v boyu,Umru ne ot mecha.Izmennik predal zhïzn’ moyuVeriovke palacha.

I pered smertyu ob odnomDusha moya grustit,Shto za menia f krayu rodnomNikto ne otomstit.

Prosti, moy kray! Ves’ mir, proschay!Menia poymali v set’.No zhalok tot, kto smerti zhdiot,Ne smeya umeret’!Pripev: Tal veselo, otchayannoShol k viselitse onoF posledniy chas f posledniy pliasPustilsia Makferson.

17

The Dawn Is RisingThe dawn is coming, the sun is rising,The people want your deed and toil.The dawn is coming, and the sun risingOver the world. Greet the dawn, my friend.

The dawn is growing, the sun is glowing,The brave do not care for bounds.March on, friends, spare not your breathAnd sing the song of future victories.

Devotedly and bravelyWe’ll dose our files of steel,We’ll engage any battleFor the cause of the people.

Our banner is high,Ours is youth, and ours is truth.And the winged Victory alwaysSoars over our banners.

The Song of PeaceThe wind of peace flaps the victorious colors,These blood-stained banners.Our Homeland’s light shows the way to the world,And we are constantly on guard.

Our crops are blossoming – We have defended the spring.Our strength is growing –Peace will win over War.

We are strong! Beware, you warmonger,Don’t forget how wars end today!Common people from every land are on our side,We may safely look forward to the future.

Our crops are blossoming – We have defended the spring.Our strength is growing –Peace will win over War.

For Man to live free and rejoice,We strengthen our Motherland.People will find their happiness, because in our timesAll roads lead to Communism.

Our crops are blossoming – We have defended the spring.Our strength is growing –Peace will win over War.

3 Zar’a vstajotRassvet id’ot, zar’a vstajot,Na podvig i trud zov’ot narod.Rassvet id’ot i zar’a vstajotNad mirom. Drug, vstrechaj jejo prihod.

Rast’ot zar’a, gorit rassvet,DI’a smelyh nigde pregrady net.Vper’od, druzja, polnoj grudjuZapevajte pesn’u buduschih pobed.

Bezzavetno i smeloSmkn’om svoi r’ady stal’nyje,Za narodnoje deloPojd’om v boi l’ubyje.

Vysoko nashe znam’a,I molodost’, i pravda s nami,I pobeda krylataja vsegdaNad nashimi znam’onami letit.

4 Pesn’a miraVeter mira kolyshet znam’ona pobed,Obagr’onnyje krovju znaam’ona.Ozaril miru put’ nashej Rodiny svet,My na strazhe stoim nepreklonno.

Nashi nivy tsvetut –My otstojali vesnu.Nashi sily rastut – Mirpobedit vojnu.

My sil’ny! Beregis’, podzhigatel’ vojny,Ne zabud’, ehem konehajuts’a vojny!S nami l’udi prostyje iz kazhdoj strany,My v gr’aduseheje smotrim spokojno.

Nashi nivy tsvetut –My otstojali vesnu.Nashi sily rastut – Mirpobedit vojnu.

Chtob svobodno i radostno zhil chelovek,Ukrepl’ajem my nashu Otehiznu.L’udi k sehastju pridut, potomu eto v nash vekVse dorogi vedut k kommunizmu.

Nashi nivy tsvetut –My otstojali vesnu.Nashi sily rastut – Mirpobedit vojnu.

And joy is singing, limitless,And the song is meeting you,And people smile meeting you,And even the sun rises like a country pIan.It is so hot, it is so brave,It cheers me up.The country gets up in gloryTo meet a new day.

The team will greet us with work,And you’ll smile to friends,With whom you share labor and care,and The Counter PIan, and your life.Behind the Narva Gate,In thunder and in lights,The country gets up in gloryTo meet a new day.

And speak out your truthIn a most brilliant speech.We are meeting new life,And labor, and love.Is it a sin to love, my curly one,When, dinging loud,The country gets up in gloryTo meet a new day.

The Tender Girl SongAh my girlfriends, what have I done?I can’t live without my boy.Everyone says I am brave in life,But it seems I am shy in love;Every time I see my loved oneI run to him fast,But after we say hello, I can’tSay a single word more.

Ah you skylark, you little birdie,Will you whisper to my love,That my feelings are unthinkable,They are brimming over.Ah my girlfriends, ah my dear ones!Happiness is within my hand’s reach!Oh, why do I flitter by,Only to feel troubled again!

l radost’ pojot, ne skonchaja,l pesn’a na vstrechu id’ot,l l’udi smejuts’a, vstrechaja,l vstrechnoje solntse vstajot.Gor’acheje i bravojeBodrit men’a,Strana vstajot so slavojuNa vstrechu dn’a.

Brigada nas vstretit rabotoj,l ty ulybn’oshs’a druzjam,S kotorymi trud i zaboty,l vstrechnyj, i zhizn’ – popolam.Za Narvskoju zastavoju,V gromah, v ogn’ah,Strana vstajot so slavojuNa vstrechu dn’a.

Takoju prekrasnoju rechjuO pravde svojej zajavi.My zhizni vyhodim na vstrechu,Navstrechu trudu i l’ubvi.L’ubit’ greshno l’, kudr’avaja,Kogda, zven’a,Strana vstajot so slavojuNa vstrechu dn’a.

2 Devichja – laskovajaOj, podruzhen’ki, chto ja delaju?Mne bez milogo net zhitja.Vse zovut men’a v zhizni smeloju,A b l’ubvi orobela ja.Kak uvizhu vdali l’ubimogo,Tak navstrechu k nemu begu,A kak vstretims’a – ne jedinogoSlova vymolvit’ ne mogu.

Zhavoronochek, ptashka malaja,Ty l’ubimomu peredaj,Chto l’ubov’ moja nebyvalajaPerepolnilas’ cherez kraj.Oj, podruzhen’ki, oj, rodimyje,Schastje, vot ono pod rukoj!Tak zachem zhe porhaju mimo jaI ter’aju op’at’ pokoj!

18

We Had KissesWe had kisses, and lips bitten to blood,Eyelashes wetted by happy tears,Joy unlimited, to infinity,Where we were on the apex of eternity.

But you see, the ruler of my passion,l’m afraid this will not be remembered.If days of trial come again,If I ever have to put on my Army coat again,

I will remember the shy silenceAnd your eyes, dry and sad,And, at the last moment,Atouch of lips that are too severe.

Spring, Spring…Spring, o spring, the season of love,How annoying is your advent for me,With some flaccid commotionIn my soul, in my blood …My heart is so far from any enjoyment.All that rejoices and gleams,Brings me melancholy and languor.

Give me back snowstorms and blizzardsAnd the long dark of winter’s nights.

Satires (Pictures Of The Past)To A CriticWhen a poet describing a ladyBegins “I was walking in a street. My corset pinched

my hips,”Pray don’t take this ‘’l’’ so directly,Don’t take the lady for the poet himself.

I will reveal the truth to you, as a friend:The poet is a man, and even a bearded man.

The Awakening of SpringYesterday my tomcat looked at the calendarAnd in a blink he raised his tail cane-style;Then he rushed to the stairs as he used to do,And wailed warmly and bacchanally:

‘Spring marriage! Civil marriage!You pussycats, haste to the attic…’

And my cactus – miracle wonder! Flooded with tea- and coffee-dregs,Has risen like a new Lazarus, quite simply,And thrusts up from its pot mightier with every day.

7 Byli potseluiByli potselui i guby do krovi,Ot schastlivyh sl’oz resnitsy mokrye.Radost’ bez granits, do beskonechnosti,Gde my na vershine vechnosti.

Tol’ko znajesh, chuvstv moih zakonnitsa,Ja bojus’, chto eta ne zapomnits’a.Kol’ prid’ot op’at’ pora surovaja,Kol’ shinel’ svoju odenu snova ja,

To zapomn’u robkoje molchanieI glaza tvoi, suhie i pechal’nye.I jescho v poslednee mgnovenieSlishkom strogih gub prikosnovenie.

8 Vesna, vesna…Vesna, vesna, pora l’ubvi,Kak t’azhko mne tvojo javlenje,Kakoje tomnoje volnenjeV mojej dushe, v mojej krovi…Kak chuzhdo serdtsu naslazhdenje…Vs’o, chto likujet i blestit,Navodit skuku i tomlenje.

Otdajte mne meteI’ i vjuguI zimnij dolgij mrak nochej.

Satiry (kartinki proshlogo)9 Kritiku

Kogda poet, opisyvaja damu,Nachn’ot: «Ja shla po ulitse. V boka vpils’a korset,»–

Zdes’ «ja» ne ponimaj, konechno, pr’amo -Chto, mol, pod damoju skryvajets’a poet.

Ja istinu tebe po druzheski otkroju:Poet muzhchina i dazhe s borodoju.

10 Probuzhdenie vesnyVchera moj kot vzgl’anul na kalendar’I hvost truboju podn’al momental’no,Potom podral na lestnitsu, kak vstar’,I zavopil teplo i vakkhanal’no:

«Vesennij brak! Grazhdanskij brak!Speshite, koshki, na cherdak…»

I kaktus moj – o, chudo iz chudes! – Zalityj chajem i kofejnoj guschej,Kak novyj Lazar’, vz’al da i voskresI s kazhdym dn’om pr’ot iz zemli vs’o pusche.

Two Songs to words by M. SvetlovLullabyThe engine is humming in the dead of night,But let your sleep be quiet and sweet.Searchlights they tell of danger,We won’t sleep, but you may sleep tight.

Do, do sleep tight. We MuscovitesAre on our duties in the night of fire.We won’t sleep, but you may dose your eyesWe are at watch, so sleep tight, my baby.

A day will come, and trumpets will sound flourish,And fireworks will thunder over Moscow.The days of our victory will come,They will, and meanwhile sleep tight, baby.

The Little Lantem SongEnemy airplanes were flyingover Moscow our home, over the Moskva River,Then we lit our pocket lanternsAt our night watch.

Never-relieved sentry,All night until the dawn,My old friend, my lantern,Burn on, burn on!

We remember the time of gloomy dusk,We remember every hour of those nights.The thin beam of the pocket lanternNever failed during those nights.

Never-relieved sentry,All night until the dawn,My old friend, my lantern,Burn on, burn on!

It did shine in every loft and atticOver our quiet, hushed-up home town.Let it light up again today,As it used to do, in a girl’s hand.

Never-relieved sentry,All night until the dawn,My old friend, my lantern,Burn on, burn on!

Dve pesni na slova M. Svetlova5 Kolybel’naja

Gudit motor vmolchaniji nochnom.No ty usni spokojnym, tihim snom.Prozhektorov trevozhnyje ogni;My ne usn’om, a ty, dit’a, usni.

Usni, usni. V pylajuschej nochiNesut svoi dezhurstva moskvichi.My ne usn’om, a ty glaza somkni.My na postu, dit’a mojo, usni.

Nastanet den’, i truby zapojut,I nad stolitsej zagremit salut.Oni pridut, pobedy nashej dni,Oni pridut, a ty usni, usni.

6 Pesn’a o FonarikeNad rodnoj Moskvoju, vdol’ Moskva-rekiSamol’oty vrazheskije shli,I togda karmannyje fonarikiNa nochnom dezhurstve my zazhgli.

Bessmennyj chasovoj,Vse nochi do zari,Moj staryj drug, fonarik moj,Gori, gori, gori!

Pomnim vrem’a sumraka tumannogo,The nochej my pomnim kazhdyj chas;Uzkij luch fonarika karmannogoVnochi te ni razu ne pogas.

Bessmennyj chasovoj,Vse nochi do zari,Moj staryj drug, fonarik moj,Gori, gori, gori!

Nad rodnoj pritihsheju stolitsejuOn svetil na kazhdom cherdake.Pust’ segodn’a snova zagorits’a on,Kak byvalo, v devichjej ruke.

Bessmennyj chasovoj,Vse nochi do zari,Moj staryj drug, fonarik moj,Gori, gori, gori!

19

l’m like an owl upon the debrisOf smashed and scattered gods.Ancestors who are not born yetAre not among my brothers or enemies.

What I want is a bit of lightFor me while l’m alive;And everyone will understand my desire,Be it a dressmaker or a poet…

As to descendants… Let the descendantsAct according to their lotAnd beat their heads against the wall,Cursing the darkness they are in!

ConfusionShe was a poetess,And a poetess of a Balzacian age,And he was just a rake,Curly, ardent, and black-haired.

The rake came to the poetess.Perfume breathed in the twilight.On a sofa, like in a solemn Mass,The poetess was snuflling her verses:

‘Oh, be quick to inflame my dozy passionWith fire-breathing caresses.Don’t be shy, and let your lips touchThe foam of thighs above the scarlet garter!

‘I am fresh like breathing of gillyflower…Oh, let us twine the ardencies of our bodies!’The continuation was suchThat the curly black-haired one blushed.

He blushed, but recovered at once,And thought, Fortune favors the brave!One needs no parliament speeches of ministers here,It’s time to act, not to talk.

With the unrestrained force of a centaurThe rake hugged the poetess,But a vulgar shriek: ‘Mavra!’Chilled down the dashing torrent.

‘Pardon,’ he jumped up, ‘you, yourself…’But it is cold and honour in her eyes:‘How dare you harass a decent ladyWith your embraces, like a janitor?!’

Ja kak filin na oblomkahPerelomannyh bogov.V nerodivshihs’a potomkaNet mne bratjev i vragov.

Ja hochu nemnozhko svetaDI’a seb’a, poka ja zhiv;Ot portnogo do poeta – Vsem pon’aten moj prizyv…

A potomki … Pust’ potomkiIspoln’aja zhrebij svojI kl’an’a svoi pot’omki,Lup’at v stenku golovoj!

12 NedorazumenieOna byla poetessa,Poetessa balzakovskih let.A on byl prosto povesa,Kurchavyj i pylkij br’unet.

Povesa prishol k poetesse.V polumrake dyshali duhi,Na sofe, kak v torzhestvennoj messe,Poetessa gnusila stihi:

«O, sumej ognedyshaschej laskojVskolyhnut’ moju sonnuju strast’.K pene b’oder za aloj podv’azkojTa ne bojs’a ustami pripast’!

Ja svezha, kak dyhanje levkoja…O, splet’om zhe istomnosti tel!…»Prodolzhenie bylo takoje,Chto kurchavyj brunet pokrasnel.

Pokrasnel, no opravils’a bystroI podumal: byla ne byla!Zdes’ ne dumskie rechi ministra,Ne slova tut nuzhny, a dela.

S nesderzhannoj siloj kentavraPoetessu povesa privI’ok,No vizglivo-vulgarnoje: «Mavra!»OhIadilo kipuchij potok.

«Prostite… – vskochil on, – vy sami… »No v glazah jejo holod i chest’:«Vy smeli k por’adochnoj dame,Kak dvornik, s objatjami lezt’?!»

Green noise… l’m amazed:“How many thoughts it inspires!”

Already fervent janitors, swearing aloud,Strike frozen dirt off the walkways.Today, an Asian rag-picker called on me,Re picked a warm muffler and race skis…

“It’s spring, it’s spring,” I sing like a minstrel,“Carry your winter trash to the pawnshop.”

The sun is shining. By Jove, all’s not so bad!The spring’s azure has frightened off smoke and

soot,Frost does not pinch anyone any more,But, as in winter, many have nothing to eat.

Trees are waiting… Water is rotting,And drunks are seen more often than ever

O my Creator! Thanks for the spring!(For I thought it would never come back.)But… let me run off to the quiet of woodsFrom the pressing news, cholera, and the capitalI

The spring wind is blowing outdoors…Oh hell, gimme someone to love!

DescendantsOur ancestors crawled into cagesAnd often whispered there between them:“Tough times, lads… It seems our childrenWill live better than we do.”

The children grew up. They, too,Crawled into cages in days of horrorAnd sighed, “Our childrenWill see the light when we are no more.”

Today, just as always,Our only consolation is,That our children will see Mecca,If not we.

Even the dates have been foretold:Some say two hundred, some say five hundred years;Until then, lie in sorrowAnd moo like an idiot.

Milk and honey, neat and spruce,The world is washed, and brushed, and nice…In two hundred years or so? To hell with it!Am I Methuselah?

Zel’onyj shum… Ja porazhon:«Kak mnogo dum navodit on!»

Uzhe s panelej sm’orzshujus’a gr’az’,Rugajas’, skalyvajut dvorniki lihie,Uzhe ko mne zabr’ol segodn’a «kn’az’»,Vz’al l’oplyj sharf i lyzhi begovye…

«Vesna, vesna – poju, kak bard,Nesitezimnij hlam vlombard».

Sijajet solnyshko. Jej bogu, nichego!Vesenn’aja lazur’ spugnula dym i kopo1’,

Moroz uzhe ne schiplet nikogo,No mnogim nechego, kak i zimoju, lopat’ …

Derevja zhdut… Gnijod Voda,I Pjanyh bol’she, chem vsegda

Sozdatel’ moi! Spasibo za vesnu! –Ja dumal, ona na vozvratits’a – No… daj sbezjhat’ v lesnuju tishinuOt zloby dn’s, holery I stolitsy

Vesennij veter za dver’mi…V kogo b vl’ubits’a, chort voz’mi?

11 PotomkiNashi predki lezli v kletiI sheptalis’ tam ne raz:«Tugo, brattsy… Vidno, detiBudut zhit voI’gotnej nas».

Deti vyrosli. I etiLezli v kleti v groznyj chasI vzdyhali: «Nashi detiVstre1’at solntse posle nas ».

Nynche tak zhe, kak voveki,Uteshenie odno:Nashi deti budut v Mekke,Jesli nam ne suzhdeno.

Dazhe sroki predskazali:Kto -let dvesti, kto – p’atsot,A poka lezhi v pechaliI mychi, kak idiot.

Razukrashennye duli,Mir umyt, prichosan, mil …Let chrez dvesti? Chorta v stule!Razve ja Mafusail?

20

(Music figures are silent.)Right? Adopted. The introduction on this subject-matterwill be delivered by Musicologist No.1, our supremeconsultant and musical critic, Comrade Firstman. Com-rades, we are greeting our dear and beloved Great Com-rade Firstman!(Roaring lasting applause growing into ovation. Every-one rises.)

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSES(already thrilled)Hail! Long live Great Firstman! Hail!Hail! Long live Great Firstman! Hail!(Everyone sits down)

FIRSTMAN(reads looking at a piece of paper)Comrades! Realistic music is written by people’s composers, while formalistic music is written by anti-people’s composers. May I ask why realistic music iswritten by people’s composers, and formalistic music iswritten by antipeople’s composers? Realistic music,comrades, is written by people’s composers just becausethey, being realists by their nature, cannot, nay, cannothelp writing realistic music. While anti-people’s com-posers, being formalists bytheir nature, cannot, nay, cannot help writing formalistic music. Therefore, the solution is for people’s composers to develop realisticmusic, and for anti-people’s composers to stop theirmore than doubtful experimenting in the domain of formalistic music.

HOSTRight! Exactly! Comrades! Let’s thank our Father, ourbeloved Great Firstman for his historic speech, for hispresentation, addressing and coverage of important mat-ters of the music trade.

(Roaring lasting applause growing into ovation. Every-one rises.)

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSESThank you, thank you for the historic speech! Thankyou, thank you for fatherly care!(Everyone sits down.)

HOSTAccording to the plan that follows, floor shall be takenby Musicologist No.2, who can and is capable of vocalizing into the same bargain. Comrade Secondmanhas the floor.

(Muzykalnyje dejateli molchat)Pravil’no? Prin’ato. Vstupitel’noje slovo na etu tema-tiku skazhet muzykoved nomer odin, nash glavnyjkonsultant i muzykalnyj kritik tovarisch Jedinitsyn.Poprivetstvuem, tovarischi, nashego dorogogo i lubi-mogo velikogo tovarisha Jedinitsyna!(Burnyje, prodolzhitel’nyje aplodismenty, pere-hod’aschije v ovatsiju. Vs’e vstajut.)

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSY(uzhe v vostorge)Slava! Slava velikomu Jedinitsynu! Slava!Slava! Slava velikomu Jedinitsynu! Slava!(Vs’e sad’ats’a)

JEDINITSYN(chitajet po bumazhke)Tovarischi! Realisticheskuju musyku pishut narod-nyje kompozitory, a formalisticheskuju muzykupishut antinarodnyje kompozitry. Sprashivajets’a,pochemu realisticheskuju muzyku pishut narodnyjekompozitory, aformalisticheskuju muzyku pishut an-tinarodnyje kompozitory? Narodnyje kompozitorypishut realisticheskuju muzyku potomu, tovarischi,chto, javlajas’ po prirode realistami, oni ne mogut,ne mogut ne pisat’ muzyku realisticheskuju. A anti-narodnyje kompozitory, javlajas’ po prirode formal-istami, ne mogut, ne mogut ne pisat’ muzykuformalisticheskuju. Zadacha, sledovatel’no,zakl’uchajets’a v tom, chtoby narodnyje kompozi-tory razvivali b muzyku realisticheskuju, a antinaro-dnyje kompozitory prekratili by svojo boleje chemsomnitel’noje eksperimentirovanije v oblasti muzykiformalisticheskoj.

VEDUSCHIJPravil’no! Verno! Tovarischi! Poblagodarim zhe nashego rodnogo i lubimogo velikogo Jedinitsyna zaistoricheskuju rech, za jego vystuplenije, obogaschenije i osveschenije vazhnyh voprosov muzykal’nogo dela.(Burnyje, prodolzhitel’nyje aplodismenty, perehod’aschije vovatsiju. Vs’e vstajut.)

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSYSpasibo, spasibo za istoricheskuju rech! Spasibo,spasibo za otecheskuju zabotu!(Vs’e sad’ats’a)

VEDUSCHIJPo sledujemomy zatem planu predostavim slovo mu-zykovedu nomer dva, imejuschemy k tomu zhe voz-mozhnost’ vokalizirovat’. Predostavlaju slovotovarischu Dvojkinu.

Here enters prim Mavra. And the frightened guestRetreats, his back to front.In the antechamber, he long searchedFor his cane with a perplexed look. ..

The ardent black-haired oneWalked down the stairs with a magnesia-white face:He failed to grasp the New PoetryAnd the poetess of a Balzacian age.

Kreutzer SonataThe tenant is sitting on his suitcaseAnd pensively staring at the floor:The chairs are the same, and the bed, and the table,The same upholstery on the sofa,The same stew for dinner -But some new light is cast on everything…

The calves of buxom Fiokla the washerwoman areshining.

Her plump torso is bent over into the yard.The soaped glasses are squealingLike a chaotic, frolicsome chorus…And patches of blue heavensPromise thousands of wonders.

The tenant is seated on his suitcase.The window-glasses are washed. It’s dull and quiet

again.Fiokla, Fiokla, why are you silent?You could as weil be resolute and vigorous:Come up, grab his forelockAnd bum him with your fiery springtime lips…

The tenant and Fiokla on the sofa.Oh, what a solemn moment!“You’re People, and l’m an intellectual,”He tells her between kisses.“At last, here and now, alone,I’ll understand you, and you, me!”

Anti-Formalist Peep-Show

HOSTWell now, comrades, how ‘bout beginning, shall we?The audience are not so many today, though. Indeed,underestimation of the cultural maximum of the lectur-ing propaganda still prevails here. But since, accordingto the pIan of our House of Culture, we are having anumber of addresses today on “Realism and Formalismin Music,” we’ll get it through, this here subject-matter.I mean, well, these here addresses I mean – I mean we’llget it all through.

Vot chinnaja Mavra. I zadomUhodit napugannyj gost’.V perednej raster’annym vzgl’adomOn dolgo iskal svoju trost’ …

S litsom blednee magneziiShol s lestnitsy pylkij br’unet:Ne pon’al on novoj poeziiI poetessy balzakovskih let.

13 Kreitserova sonataKvartirant sidit na chemodaneI zadumchivo rassmatrivaet poI:Te zhe stulja, i krovat’, i stol,I takaja zhe obivka na divane,I takoj zhe «bigus» na obed, -No na vs’om kakoj-to novyj svet…

Bleschut ikry polnoj prachki F’okly.

Peregnuls’a polnyj stan vo dvor.Kak nestrojnyj, shalovlivyj hor,Vereschat namylennye st’okla,I zaplaty golubyh nebesObeschajut tys’achi chudes.

Kvartirant sidit na chemodane.St’okla vymyty. Op’at’ toska i tish.

F’okla, F’okla, chto zhe ty molchish?Bud’ hot’ ty reshitel’noj i jarkoj:Podojdi, voz’mi jego za chubI ozhgi ogn’om vesennih gub …

Kvartirant I F’okla na divane.O, kakoj torzhestvennyj moment!«Ty – narod, a ja – intelligent, -Govorit on jej sredi lobzanij. – Nakonets-to, zdes’, sejchas, vdvojom,Ja teb’a, a ty men’a – pojm’om!»

14 «Antiformalisticheskij rajok»

VEDUSCHIJNu kak, tovarischi, nachn’om, chto li? Narodu unas, pravda, segodn’a malovato. Unas, pravda, eschoprevaliruet nedootsenka kulturnogo maksimuma lek-tsionnoj propagandy. No poskol’ku po planunashego dvortsa kulturyu nas segodn’a sostoits’ar’ad vystuplenij na temu: ‘realizm i formalizm vmusyke’, my jejo, etu temu, to jest’, eti samyje vystu-plenija provern’om.

21

SECONDMANThe lezginka in Caucasus operas must be simple, andknown too, brave, traditional, popular, and Caucasian by all means. It’s got to be real, always got tobe real, and only, yea, only real, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,real. The lezginka in Caucasus operas must be simple,and known too, brave, traditional, popular, and Caucasian by all means. It’s got to be real,always got to be real, and only, yea, only real, yes, yes,yes, yes, yes, real.

HOSTHere is a truly scientific speech! What an analysis! Whata depth! Comrade Thirdman has the floor.

THIRDMAN (collecting his thoughts)Comrades, we must be like classics. We must haveeverything the classics had. Yes! Glinka, Tchaikovsky,Rimsky-Korsakov, you are musical and elegant. Glinka,Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, you are melodious, elegant, and sonorous. Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov, you touch several strings. How right it is,how true it is! Our man is a very complicated organism.Our man is a very complicated organism. Our man isavery complicated organism. Our man is a very complicated organism. A very complicated organism.Therefore comrades, we need symphonies, poems, quartets, sonatas, suites, quintets … Suites, suitees, mylittle lovely sonatas. Merry-o little quartets, my littlelovely cantatas. Hey Glinka, blink it, wink it, poem,suite, symphony, seem so funnyl Hey Glinka, Zerjinka,Tishinka, stink it, poem or suite, stinking cute… But wemust always remember: alertness, alertness everywhereand everyplace. Alertness, alertness always and in allcases. Be on the alert every momentI Never tell nobody!

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSESAlertness, alertness everywhere and everyplace. Alert-ness, alertness always and in all cases. We’ll be on thealert every moment! We’ll never tell nobody!

THIRDMANThe Great Chief taught us all, repeating incessantly,‘Look here, look there, let all enemies tremble. Lookhere, look there and stamp out enemies.’

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSESLook here, look there, let enemies tremble in theirhomes. Look here, look there and stamp out enemies.

SECONDMANComrades! In my speech, I do not mean to cause anydissonance.

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSES(laugh)Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

SECONDMAN (keeps on being funny)Or atonality.

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSES(laugh)Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

SECONDMANIn respect of the ideas we have heard here. What we de-mand from music, comrades, is beauty and elegance. Does this sound strange to you? Is it so? Well,of course, this seems strange to you. Strange seems thisto you, strange seems this to you … Yes indeed, well,you find it strange, strange you find it, strange you findit, as if something is wrong in it. However, it is even so.This is no slip of my tongue. We support beautiful, ele-gant music. Music not melodious, music not aesthetic,music not harmonious, it’s a… it’s a… dental drill ma-chine! Or, or – a musical gas chamber. (Everyone roars with laughter, Secondman laughs too.)O let us love all that’s beautiful, charming, and elegant,let us love all that’s aesthetic, harmonious, melodious,authorized, polyphonic, popular, and classical! More-over, comrades, I have to tell you that operas set in theCaucasus must contain the genuine lezginka dance, mustcontain the genuine lezginka. The lezginka in Caucasusoperas must be simple, and known too, brave, tradi-tional, popular, and Caucasian by all means. It must bereal, must always be real, and only, yea, only real, yes,yes, yes, yes, yes, real.

(Music figures and figuresses exclaim bravely, Caucasianstyle, thus showing their full solidarity withthe inspiring directions of Comrade A. A. Secondman.)

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSESAhs-sah!

DVOJKINV kavkazskih operah lezginka prostoj dolzhna byt’ iizvestnoj, lihoj, obychnoj, popul’arnoj i ob’azatel’nokavkazskoj. Ona dolzhna byt’ nastojaschej, vsegdadolzhna byt’ nastojaschej, i tol’ko, tol’ko nasto-jaschej, da, da, da, da, da nastojaschej. V kavkazskihoperah lezginka prostoj dolzhna byt’ i izvestnoj,lihoj, obychnoj, popul’arnoj i ob’azatel’nokavkazskoj. Ona dolzhna byt’ nastojaschej, vsegdadolzhna byt’ nastojaschej, i tol’ko, tol’ko nastojaschej, da, da, da, da, da nastojaschej.

VEDUSCHIJVot podlinno nauchnoje vystuplenije! Kakoj analiz!Kakaja glubina! Slovo imejet tovarisch Trojkin.

TROJKIN (sobirajas’ s mysl’ami)Tovarischi! My dolzhny byt’ kak klassiki. U nas vs’odolzhno byt’, kak u klassikov. Da! Glinka,Chajkovskij, Rimskij-Korsakov, vy muzykal’ny iiz’aschny. Glinka, Chajkovskij, Rimskij-Korsakov, vymelodichny, iz’aschny, zvuchny. Glinka, Chajkovskij,Rirnskij Korsakov, vy zadevajete neskolko strun.Kak eta pravil’no, kak eto verno! Nash chelovekochen’ slozhnyj organizm. Nash chelovek ochen’slozhnyj organizm. Nash chelovek ochen’ slozhnyjorganizm. Nash chelovek ochen’ slozhnyj organizm.Ochen’ slozhnyj organizm. Poetomu, tovarischi, namnuzhny sirnfonii, poemy, kvartety, sonaty, s’uity, kvintety… S’uity, s’uitki, sonatki moi. Razves’olyjekvartetiki, kantatiki moi. Eh, Glinka, kalinka, ma-linka moja, razsirnfonia, poemka, s’uitka moja. Eh,Glinka, Dzerzhinka, Tishinka moja, razkhrenovajapoemka, s’uitka moja… No nuzhno pomnit’ vsegda:bditel’nost’, bdite’nost’ vsegda, vezde. Bditel’nost’,bditel’nost’ vsegda vo vs’om. Postojanno vs’udu bdi!Nikomu ne govori!

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSYBditel’nost’, bdite’nost’ vsegda, vezde. Bditel’nost’,bditel’nost’ vsegda vo vs’om. Postojanno vs’udubdite! Nichego ne govorite!

TROJKINVelikij vozhd’ nas vseh uchil i besprestanno govoril:Smotrite zdes’, smotrite tam, pust’ budet strashnovsem vragam. Smotri tuda, smotri s’uda i vykor-chovyvaj vraga.

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSYSmotrite zdes’, smotrite tam, pust’ vrag trepeschet podomam. Smotri tuda, smotri s’uda i vykorchovyvajvraga.

DVOJKINTovarischi! Svoim vystuplenijem ja ne imeju vviduvnosit’ dissonansy.

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSY(smeh)Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

DVOJKIN (prodolzhajet ostrit’)Ili atonal’nost’.

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSY(smeh)Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

DVOJKINV te mysli, kotoryje my zdes’ slyhali. My, tovarischi,trebujem ot muzyki krasoty i iz’aschestva. Vam etastranno? Da? Nu, konechno vam eta stranno.Strannym varo eta kazhets’a, strannym varo etakazhets’a… Da, nu, konechno, vam stranno eto,strannym vam eta kazhets’a, budto zdes’ chto-to netak. Amezhdu tem – eta tak. Ja ne ogovorils’a. Mystoim za krasivuju, iz’aschnuju muzyku. Muzyka nemelodichnaja, muzyka ne estetichnaja, muzyka negarmonichnaja, muzyka ne iz’aschnaja eto, eto …bormashina! Ili, ili… muzykal’naja dushegubka.(Obschij hohot, Dvojkin tozhe smejots’a) Vozl’ubim zhe prekrasnoje, krasivoje, iz’aschnoje,vozl’ubim estetichnoje, garmonichnoje, melodich-noje, zakonnoje, polifonnoje, narodnoje, klassiches-koje! Krome togo, tovarischi, ja dolzhen vamsoobschit’. Chto v kavkazskih operah dolzhna byt’nastojaschaja lezginka, dolzhna byt’ nastojaschajalezginka. V kavkazskih operah lezginka prostojdolzhna byt’ i izvestnoj, lihoj, obychnoj, popul’arnoji ob’azatel’no kavkazskoj. Ona dolzhna byt’ nastoja-schej, vsegda dolzhna byt’ nastojaschej, i tol’ko,tol’ko nastojaschej, da, da, da, da, da nastojaschej. (Muzykal’nyje dejateli i dejatel’nitsy liho, po-kavkazski, vosklitsajut, tem samym demonstrirujasvoju polnuju solidarnost’ s vdohnovl’ajuschimi ukazanijami tovarischa A.A.Dvojkina.)

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSYAs-sa!

22

Caring For Mum And AuntieBye, bye, bye! Go to the village Tateh!Bring us an appIe to heal the little eyes!Bye…

Bye, bye, bye! Go to the village Tateh!Bring us a chicken to heal the little teeth!Bye…

Bye, bye, bye! Go to the village Tateh!Bring us a duck to heal the little chest!Bye…

Bye, bye, bye! Go to the village Tateh!Bring us a goose to heal the little tummy!Bye…

Bye, bye, bye! Go to the village Tateh!Bring us sunflower seeds to heal the little pate!Bye…

Bye, bye, bye! Go to the village Tateh!Bring us a rabbit to heal the little fingers!Bye… bye…

LullabyMy sonny is the best in the world –The light in the darkness.Your father is in Siberia, chained,the Tsar keeps him in prison there. Sleep tight, lu-lu, lu-lu.

Rocking your cradle,Mummy sheds tears.Growing up, you’ll understandHow her heart aches.

Your father is in far Siberia,l’m here in need.Meanwhile, sleep sweetly,Ah lu-lu, lu-lu.

My sorrow is blacker than night,Sleep while l’m awake.Sleep my darling, sleep my sonny,Ah lu-lu, lu-lu.

2 Zabotlivyje mama i t’ot’aBaj, baj, baj, V selo, tatun’a. pojezzhaj!Privezi nam jablachko, chtob ne bolet’ gIazochkam!Baj…

Baj, baj, baj, V selo, tatun’a. pojezzhaj!Privezi nam kurochku, chtob ne bolet’ zubochkam!Baj…

Baj, baj, baj, V selo, tatun’a. pojezzhaj!Privezi nam utochku, chtob ne bolet’ grudochke!Baj…

Baj, baj, baj, V selo, tatun’a. pojezzhaj!Privezi nam gusochku, chtob ne bolet’ puzochku!Baj…

Baj, baj, baj, V selo, tatun’a. pojezzhaj!Privezi nam semechek, chtob ne bolet’ temechku!Baj …

Baj, baj baj, V selo, tatun’a. pojezzhaj!Privezi nam zajchika, chtob ne bolet’ palchikam!Baj … Baj …

3 Kalybel’najaMoj synok vseh krashe vmire –agan’ok vo t’me.Tvoj atets vtsep’ah v Sibiri,derzhit tsar’ jego v t’ur’me. Spi, l’u-l’u, l’u-l’u.

Kalybel’ tvaju kachaja,mama sl’osy ljot.Sam pojm’osh ty, padrastaja,chto jej sertse zhzhot.

Tvoj atets v Sibiri dal’nej,ja nuzhdu terpl’u.Spi pakuda bespechalno,a, l’u-l’u, l’u-l’u…

Skorb’ moja chernee nochi,spi, a ja ne spl’u.Spi, haroshij, spi, synochek,spi, l’u-l’u, l’u-l’u…

THIRDMANAlertness, alertness always and everywhere. Alertness,alertness always and in everything. Cut short any at-tempt to bring bourgeois ideology to our youth. Thisway you’ll save our ideas, in all truth. Well and if any-one takes on bourgeois ideas, we’ll lock them up forvery long. To labor camps, and treat them really strong.Lock up, lock up!

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSESYea, yea, yea, yea, lock up, lock up, and send them all tolabor camps.

THIRDMANThe Great Chief taught us all, repeating incessantly,‘Look here, look there, let all enemies tremble. Lookhere, look there and stamp out enemies.’

MUSIC FIGURES AND FIGURESSESLook here, look there, let enemies tremble in theirhomes. Look here, look there and stamp out enemies. Dance (to the tune of ‘Look here’, the dancerslook here. To the tune of ‘Look there’ the dancers lookthere. The expression of the dancers’ faces must be suchthat our ideology enemies should fall down scared todeath.)

From Jewish Folk PoetryLament For A Dead BabyIt’s sun and rain, it’s bright and dark.Fog has come down, the moon is blurred.‘Who was born?’‘A boy, a boy.’‘What was his name?’‘Moyshele, Moyshele.’‘Where did they rock him?’‘In a cradle.’‘How did they feed him?’‘With bread and onions.’‘Where did they bury him?’‘In a grave. ‘‘Oy, the boy’s in the grave, in the grave is Moyshele,

in the grave. Oy!’

TROJKINBditel’nost’, bdite’nost’ vsegda, vezde. Bditel’nost’,bditel’nost’ vsegda vo vs’om. Ne davat’ l’uboj popy-tke proniknovenija burzhuaznoj ideologiji vnashumolod’ozh. Etim ty nashi idei ne sberezhosh. Nu, ajesli burzhuaznyje idei ktonibud’ vosprimet, na dolgoteh budem my sazhat’. V lager’a usilennogo rezhimapomeschat’. Sazhat’, sazhat’!

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSYDa, da, da, da, sazhat’, sazhat’ i v lager’a vsehnapravl’at’.

TROJKINVelikij vozhd’ nas vseh uchil i besprestanno govoril:Smotrite zdes’, smotrite tam, pust’ budet strashnovsem vragam. Smotri tuda, smotri s’uda i vykor-chovyvaj vraga.

MUZYKAL’NYJE DEJATELI I DEJATEL’NITSYSmotrite zdes’, smotrite tam, pust’ vrag trepeschet podomam. Smotri tuda, smotri s’uda i vykorchovyvajvraga.Tanets (na motive “Smotrite zdes’” tantsuju-schije smotr’at zdes’. Na motive “Smotrite tam”tantsujuschije smotr’at tam. Vyrazhenije lits u tant-sujuschih dolzhno byt’ takoje, chtoby nashi idejnyjevragi popadali ot straha.)

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Iz jevrejskoj narodnoj poezii1 Plach ab umershem mladentse

Sontse i dozhdik, sijanje i mgIa.Tuman apustils’a, pamerkla luna.Kago radila ana?Mal’chika, mal’chika.Kaknazvali?Mojshele, Mojshele.A v chom kachali Mojshele? V I’ulke.A chem karmili? Hlebom da lukom.Agde skharanili? –V magile.Oj, mal’chik v magile, v magile Mojshele, v magile. Oj!

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Poverty SongThe roof is sleeping tightUp there, under its straw.The baby is sleeping in its cradleNaked, without diapers.

Hop, hop, up, up!The goat is eating straw from the roof.Hop, hop, up, up!The goat is eating straw from the roof, oy!

The cradle is in the attic,A little spider is webbing my bad luck in it.It is sucking my joyLeaving me nothing but want.

Hop, hop, up, up!The goat is eating straw from the roof.Hop, hop, up, up!The goat is eating strawfrom the roof, oy!

There’s a rooster in the atticWith a scarlet crest.Hey wife, go borrow a sliceOf stale bread for our children.

Hop, hop, up, up!The goat is eating straw from the roof.Hop, hop, up, up!The goat is eating straw from the roof, oy!

WinterMy Sheindl is in bedAnd our sick child is with her.Not a chip of wood in our hut,And the wind is roaring outside.

The cold and the wind are back,They cannot be endured in silence.So cry children, weep children!Winter is back again.

7 Pesn’a o nuzhdeKrysha spit na cherdakepod salomoj sladkim snom.V kalybel’ke spit dit’abez pel’onok, nagishom.

Gop, gop, vyshe, vyshe!Jest kaza salomu s kryshi.Gop, gop, vyshe, vyshe!Jest kaza salomu s kryshi, oj!

Kalybel’ na cherdake,pauchok v nej tk’ot bedu.Radast’ on moju sas’ot,mne ostaviv lish nuzhdy.

Gop, gop, vyshe, vyshe!Jest kaza salomu s kryshi.Gop, gop, vyshe, vyshe!Jest kaza salomu s kryshi, oj!

Petushok na cherdake,jarko-krasnyj grebeshok.Oj, zhena, zaimi dl’a detokhleba chornogo kusok.

Gop, gop, vyshe, vyshe!Jest kaza salomu s kryshi.Gop, gop, vyshe, vyshe!Jest kaza salomu s kryshi, oj!

8 ZimaLezhit moja Shejndl v kravati,i s neju reb’onok balnoj.Ni sjchepki vnetoplenoj hate,a veter gudit za stenoj.

Vernulis’ i stuzha i veter,net sily terpet’ i molchat’.Krichite zhe, plachte zhe, deti,zima varatilas’ op’at’.

Before A Long SeparationOy Abram, how can I go on without you?Me without you, you without me – how will we go on

separated?‘Do you remember us standing in the gate,And the secret you told me?Oy oy, Rivochka, let me kiss your mouth!’

Oy Abram, how can we go on?Me without you, you without me – like a door without

a handle!‘Do you remember us strolling as a couple?What did you tell me then on the boulevard?Oy oy, Rivochka, let me kiss your mouth!’

Oy Abram, how can I go on without you?Me without you, you without me – how will we go on

without happiness?Do you remember me wearing that red skirt?Oy, I was so beautiful those days!‘Oy oy, Rivochka, let me kiss your mouth!’

WarningListen Hassia!You may not date, you should not date,Beware dating any man!Strolling with men until the dawnMeans bitter tears afterwards, Hassia!Listen! Hassia!

Father AbandonedEhle the ragpicker has put on his gown.They say his daughter went away to live with Police

Commissioner.‘Tsirele my daughter, come back to your father.I will give you a dowry of fancy dresses,I myself will buy you earrings and necklaces –And find you a nice handsome boy to marry!Tsirele my daughter!’

‘I need none of your dresses or rings,And I will marry nobody but Commissioner.Please Commissioner, tell this old JewTo get out of here – quickly!’

‘Tsirele my daughter! Come, come back to me!Tsirele my daughter!’

4 Pered dolgoj razlukoj– Oj, Abram, kak bez teb’a mne zhit’!Ja bez teb’a, ty bez men’a – kak nam v razIuke zhit’?

– A pomnish, v vorotah so mnoj stojala –chto po sekretu ty mne skazala?Oj, Oj, Rivochka, daj tvoj rotik, devochka!

– OL Abram, kak nam zhit’ teper’?Ja bez teb’a, ty bez men’a – OL kak bez ruchki dver’!

– Apomnish, gul’ali s taboj my vpare?chto mne skazala ty na bulvare?Oj, Oj, Rivochka, daj tvoj rotik, devochka!

– OL Abram, kak bez teb’a mne zhit’!Ja bez teb’a, ty bez men’a kak nam bez shchastja

zhit’?Ty pomnish, ja krasuju jubku nasila?Oj, kak tagda ja byla krasiva!– Oj, Oj, Rivochka, daj tvoj rotik, devochka!

5 PredosterezhenieSlushaj, Has’a!Nel’z’a gul’at’, ne smej gul’at’ ,s l’ubym gul’at’ opasajs’a, opasajs’a, opasajs’a!Pajd’osh gul’at’, do utra gul’at’,oj, patom naplacheshs’a,Has’a! Slushaj! Has’a!

6 Broshennyj otets– Ele, starjovshik, nadel halat.K pristavu dochka ushla, gavar’at.

– Tsirele, dochka, vernis’ k atsu.dam tebe platjev nar’adnyh k ventsu.Ser’gi i koltsa kupl’u tebe sam,i na pridachu krasavchika, krasavchika dam.Tsirele, dochka!

– Ne nado mne nar’adav, ne nado mne kalets,lish s gapadinom pristavom pajdu ja pod venets.Gaspadin pristav, prashu vas, skorejeganite vsheju starovo jevreja.

– Tsirele, dochka, vernis’ ko mne, vernis’…Tsirele, dochka!

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Oy lu! Oy lu-lu, lu-lu, lu-lu!

I am happy in my collective village.I say, my life is ampIe!My pipe, you must singMerrier and merrier!

HappinessI bravely took my husband’s arm,Though I am old, just as my man is.I took him out to the theatre,We bought two seats in the stalls.

Sitting there untillate at night,We were enjoying mirthful dreams:Such a luxury allowedTo a Jewish shoemaker’s wife.

And I wish to tell everyone in this countryAbout my joyful and bright fortune:Our sons have become doctors, doctors,And the star is shining above our heads!

Our sons have become doctors, doctors,And the star is shining above our heads! Oy!

Suite to Words by Michelangelo BuonarrotiTruthThere are truths in sayings of old days,Like this: he who can, never wants to.Lord, Thou hast perceived Lie’s babbling,And hast given the babblers what they deserve.

As for me, I am Thy servant; my labor’s Thine,Like beams are the sun’s – though Thy wrath foretellsAll that my ardor longs to achieve,And all my efforts are therefore needless.

Me thought Thy greatness would have meNot as an echo for chambers,But as a cutting edge of justice and weight of wrath.

But Heaven is indifferent to earthly meritsAnd it is as fruitless to expect its award,As to expect fruit from a barren tree.

Oj, l’u! Oj, l’u-l’u, l’u-l’u, l’u-l’u!

Ja vsvajom kalhoze shchasliva.Slyshish, zhisn’ maja palna!Veseleje, veseleje,dudochka ty pet’ dolzhna!

11 Shchast’jeJa muzha smelo pod ruku vz’ala,pust’ ja stara, i star moj kavaler.Jego s saboj vteatr pavela,i vz’ali lva bileta my v parter.

Do poznej nochi s muzhem sid’a tam,vs’o predavalis’ radasnym mechtam, –Kakimi blagami okruzhenajevrejskago sapozhnika zhena.

I vsej strane hachu pavedat’ japro radasnyj i svetlyj zhrebij moj:vrachami, vrachami stali nashi synavja –zvezda garit nad nashej galavoj!

Vrachami, vrachami stali nashi synavja zvezdagarit nad nashej galavoj! Oj!

Suita na slova Mikelandgello Buararroti12 Istina

Jest’ istiny v rechenjah stariny,I vot ona: kto mozhet, tot ne hochet.Ty vn’al, gospod’, tomu, kto lozh strekochet,I boltuny toboj nagrazhdeny;

Ja zh tvoj sluga: moi trudy dany tebe,Kak solntsu luch, – hot’ i prorochit tvoj gnevVs’o to, chto pyl moj sdelat’ prochit,I vs’o moi staranja ne nuzhny.

Ja dumal, chto vozm’ot tvojo velichjeMen’a k sebe ne ehom dl’a palat,A lezviem suda i girej gneva.

No jest’ k zemnym zaslugam bezrazlichjeNa nebesah – i zhdat’ ot nih nagrad, –Chto ozhidat’ plodov s suhogo dreva.

Good LifeDear friends, I never sang songsAbout wide open fields in those dark days.Fields blossomed, but not for me,Dew sparkled, but not for me.Years ago, I lived in a basement,In damp darkness, tormented by poverty.And sad songs of my misery and tormentsWere heard from that basement.You merry collective farm river, run cheerfully,Give my greetings to my friends.Tell them my home is in a collective farm now,And a blossoming tree is near my window.Now, fields are ripening for me,They feed me with milk and honey.I am happy, so tell my brothersThat I will make songs to the collective fields!

A Girl’s SongOn the meadow by the forestWhich is always so thoughtful,We graze the collective farm cattleFrom morning till night.

So l’m sitting on a hillsideWith my little pipe.I cannot help rejoicingIn my country’s beauty.

The trees are in bright green,They are graceful and stately,And the crops in the fieldsAre full of charm.

Oy lu! Oy lu-lu, lu-lu, lu-lu!

A tree branch smiles at me,A wheat spike winks at me.A great joy flashes in my heartLike a bright sparkle.

Sing now, my artless pipe!It’s so easy for us to sing together!Hills and valleys can hearOur merry song.

But let’s never weep, my pipe!Forget the sorrow of old.Let your tunes fly far,Over these cheerful vistas.

9 Haroshaja zhizn’A pole prastornom, druzja daragije,pesen ne pel ja vgody gluhije.Ne dl’a men’a pal’a rastsvetali,ne dl’a men’a rasinki stekali.V tesnom padvale va t’me syrojzhil ja kagda-to, izmuchen nuzhdoj.I grusnaja pesn’a neslas’ iz padvalao gore, o muke majej nebyvaloj.Kalhoznaja rechka, struis’ veselee;druzjam peredaj moj paklon paskoree.Skazhi, chto v kalhoze teper’ moj dom,tsvetushchee derevo stait pod oknom.Teper’ dl’a men’a pal’a rastsvetajut,men’a malakom i m’odom pitajut.Ja shchastliv, a ty rasskazhi majim brtjam:kalhoznym pal’am budu pes’ni slagat’ ja!

10 Pesn’a devushkiNa luzhajke, vozle lesa,chto zadumchiv tak vsegda,my pas’om s utra do nochikalhoznyje stada.

I sizhu ja na prigorke,s dudochkoj sizhu svajej.Ne magu ja nagl’adetsana krasu strany majej.

V jarkoj zeleni derevjaI krasivy i strajny,a v pal’ah zvetut kalosja,prelesti palny!

Oj, l’u! Oj, l’u-l’u, l’u-l’u, l’u-l’u!

To mne vetka ulybn’otsa,kalasok vdrug padmign’ot, -chustvo radosti velikojv sertse iskraju sverkn’ot.

Poj zhe, dudochka prastaja!Tak lehko nam pet’ vdvajom!Slyshat gory i daliny,kak my radasno pajom.

Tol’ko, dudochka, ne plakat’!Poshluju zabud’ pechal’.I puskaj tvai napevymchatsa v laskovuju dal’.

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WrathHere they make swords and helmets out of chalices,They sell Christ’s blood by the ounce;Thorn used for shields, and Holy Cross, for lances;Still the lips of Christ are sealed with patient silence.

Let Him descend to our Bethlehems,Or spill His blood again so that it would reach heaven;Because those butchers see Rome as a wild forest,And we keep Mercy behind a locked door.

I see no threat from luxury’s encumbrance,l’ve long had nothing here for me to do;I fear rich apparels like Moor fears Medusa;

But if God has dressed poverty in glory,What is that bondage that awaits usBy other lot, and under other colors?

DanteDescending from heaven, in human flesh, he sawHell, that pIace of redemption,And appeared alive to be contemplated by God,And disclosed to us all the wisdom he had gained.

The beaming star, whose radiation lightsThe land I was destined to be born in -He is not to expect a reward from the world,But from Thou who created the whole universe.

I am speaking of Dante now;The fierce populace don’t need works of his Art,For they hold small even a superior genius.

If I were like him! Oh, if I were destinedFor his deeds and the sorrow of his exile,I would never have wished a better lotI

To the ExiledHe seems to be honored, but small honor it is.His greatness has blinded our sight.Should we blame commoners for their low gauge,When our praise is trivial too!

For our sake he descended to the den of evil,And God’s kingdom was displayed to him;But, while heaven opened him its door,Homeland viciously locked the door on him.

The ungrateful one! For thine own ruinThou lasted tortures of thy son;Thus perfection is forever revenged by meanness.

‘Tis one example out of a legion!Never has an exile been more villainous,Never has the world seen a better man.

MorningThere is nothing so joyful as the merry pastimeFor flowers to touch that lovely head,The gold of her plaits,And kiss every spot of her without exception!

It’s such a delight for her dressTo hug her torso and extend down in a wave;It’s such a pleasure for the golden netTo embrace her visage!

Even more tenderly, the weaving of that fancy band,Gleaming with its embroidered pattern,Closes around the young breasts.

And the clean sash, gently meandering,Seems to be whispering, “l’ll never part with her …” O how much is here for my hands to do.

LoveSay, Love, is it true that my eyesReally see the desired beauty,Or it is just my creative daydreamThat has chosen some chance looks as its support?

You should know! It was you who, in a plot with thoselooks,

Has deprived me of my sleep. Let it be!My lips cherish each sigh,And my soul is overflown with irresistible fire.

You do see real beauty,But its shine is burning, growing and growing,When it is ascending to your soul through your sight,

There to acquire divine purity,And likeness of its Eternal Creator –This is why your eyesight is enchanted.

SeparationDare I, my treasure,Exist without you, in lasting tortures,If you are deaf to pleas to mollify the separation?I do not keep in my sad heart any moreOutcries, nor sighs, nor sobs.What can I show you, Madonna? Yoke of suffering?Or my death which is now so nigh?But, to prevent Fate from expelling laterMy loyal vassalage out of your memory –I am leaving you my heart as a pledge.

16 GnevZdes’ delajut iz chash mechi I shlemyI krov’ Hristovu prodajut na ves;Na schit zdes’ t’orn, na kopja krest ischez, –Usta zh Hristovy terpelivo nemy.

Pust’ on niskhodit v nashi VitleemyIl’ snova bryznet krovju do nebes,Zatem, chto dushegubam Rim – chto les,I miloserdje derzhim na zamke my.

Mne ne groz’at roskoshestva obuzy,Ved’ dl’a men’a davno uzh net zdes’ del;Ja mantii strashus’, kak Mavr – Meduzy;

No jesli bednost’ slavoj Bog odel,kakie zh nam togda gotovit uzyPod znamenem inym inoj udel?

17 DanteSpustivshis’ s neba, v tlennoj ploti, onUvidel ad, obitel’ iskuplenja,I zhiv predstal dl’a bozhja litsezrenja,I nam povedal vs’o, chem umudr’on.

Luchistaja zvezda, chjim ozar’onSijanjem kraj, mne dannyj dl’a rozhdenja, –Jejo ne ot mira zhdat’ voznagrazhdenja,No ot teb’a, kem mir byl sotvor’on.

Ja govor’u o Dante, o Dante: ne nuzhnyOzloblennoj tolpe jego sozdanja, –Ved’ dl’a nejo i vysshyj genij mal.

Bud’ ja kak on! O, bud’ mne suzhdenyJego dela I skorb’ jego izgnanja, –la b luchshej doli v mire ne zhelal!

18 IzgnannikuKak budto chtim, a vs’o zhe chest’ mala.Jego velichje vzor nash oslepilo.Chto chem’ korit za nizkoje merilo.Kogda pusta i nasha pohvala!

On radi nas soshol v obitel’ zIa;Gospodne tsarstvo lik jemu javilo;No dver’, chto dazhe nebo ne zakrylo,Pred Dante otchizna zlobno zaperla.

Neblagodamaja! Sebe na goreTy dlila muki syna svoego;Tak sovershenstvu nizost’ mstit ot veka.

Odin primer iz the, kotoryh more!Kak net podlej izgnanija jego,Tak mir ne znal i vyshe cheloveka.

13 UtroNet radostej ves’ologo zan’atja:Po zlatu kos, tsvetam naperebojSoprikasats’a s miloj golovojI l’nut’ lobzanjem vs’udu bez izjatja!

I skolko naslazhdenija dl’a platjaSzhimat’ jej stan i nispadat’ volnoj;I kak otradno setke zolotojJejo lanity zakl’uchat’ vobjatja!

Jescho nezhnej nar’adnoj lenty v’az’,Blest’a uzornoj vyshivkoj svoeju,Smykajets’a vkrug persej molodyh.

A chistyj pojas, laskovo vijas’,Kak budto shepchet: «Ne rasstanus’ s neju … »O, skolko dela zdes’ dl’a ruk moih.

14 L’ubov’– Skazhi, L’ubov’, voistinu li vzoruZhelannaja predstala krasota,ll’ to moja tvor’aschaja mechtaSluchajnyj lik sebe vz’ala v oporu?

Tebe l’ ne znat’? Ved’ s nim po ugovoru

Ty sna men’a lishila. Pust’!Usta lelejut kazhdyj vzdoh,I zalita dusha ogn’om, ne znajuschim otporu.

– Ty istinnuju vidish krasotu,No blesk jejo gorit, vs’o razrastajas’,Kogda skvoz’ vzor k dushe voskhodit on;

Tam obretaja bozhju chistotu,Bessmaertnomu tvortsu upodobl’ajas’, –Vot pochemu tvoj vzgl’ad zavorozhon.

15 RazlukaDerznu l’, sokrovische mojo,Suschestvovat’ bez vas, seb’e na muku,Raz gluhi vy k mol’bam sm’agchit’ razluku?Unylym serdtsem bolshe ne tajuNi vozglasov, ni vzdohov, ni rydanij.Chto vam javit’, madonna, gn’ot stradanijI smert’ uzh nedal’okuju moju;No daby rok potom mojo sluzhenjeIzgnat’ iz vashej pam’ati ne mog, -Ja ostavl’aju serdtse vam v zalog.

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EternitySo Fate has granted me untimely sleep,But l’m not dead, though buried in a grave;l’m still alive in thee, whose laments I can hear,Because true friends reflect each other’s image.

I seem to be dead, but, to soothe the world,I live as a thousand souls in the heartsOf all those who love; therefore, I am no dust,And am not subject to deathly decay.

The Ballad of CordeliaOn a cliff behind the dark seastands a high house. The birds are nesting in the cliff, but this house is standing empty, but this house is standing empty. The oven has gone out long, long ago, no voice can be heard, and only the wind, a violent guest, shivers the silent owls. He brings the news from far away, that the master has vanished, that Merlin has taken him over the seas and clouds. On a distant, green shore upon a black, dreadful steed he gallops in golden armor,but in his dreams he sees the house. The wind flies, thunders away, and laments but nobody answers and the high house is standing empty.

Ten Fool’s Songs 1. He, who decides to divide his country into two parts shall also become a fool, and find his place with me. We shall stand there hand in hand – two complete idiots: the one with a foors cap, the other without!

22 BessmertieZdes’ rok poslal bezvremennyj mne son,No ja ne m’ortv, hot’ i opuschen v zeml’u:Ja zhiv vtebe, chjim setovanjam vneml’u,Zatem, chto vdruge drug otobrazhon.

la slovno b m’ortv, no miru v uteshenjela tys’achami dush zhivu v serdtsahVseh l’ub’aschih, i, znachit, ja ne prah,I smertnoe men’a ne tronet tlen’e.

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2 Die Ballade der CordeliaAuf einem Felsen hinter dem dunklen Meersteht ein hohes Haus. Es nisten die Vögel auf dem Felsen, aber dieses Haus, es ist leer, aber dieses Haus, es ist leer. Längst, längst ist der Herd verlöscht, man hört keine Stimmen, und nur der Wind, der heftige Gast, erschüttert die schweigsamen Eulen. Er bringt die Nachricht von fern, daß der Herr verschwand, daß Merlin ihn über das Meer und die Wolken hin mitnahm. An einem fernen, grünen Ufer auf einem schwarzen, schaurigen Pferd galoppiert er in goldener Rüstung, im Traum aber sieht er das Haus. Es fliegt der Wind, braust los und klagt daüber, aber niemand gibt Antwort, und das hohe Haus,es ist leer.

6 Narrenlieder 1. Der, der sich entscheidet sein Land in zwei Teile zu teilen, er soll auch zu den Narren gehören, er wird mir unterkommen. Wir werden Hand in Hand stehen – zwei ausgemachte Idioten: der eine mit Narrenkappe, der andere ohne!

ArtistryWhen my hard hammer transforms a rockInto images of human beings,It would never do the workIf not for the master who aims the hit.

But God’s hammer has produced an impactThat conveys grace to the world;That hammer is the forerunner of all hammers,And is a live model for them all.

The higher is the hand’s stroke o’er the anvil.The harder is the blow; so I, too,See it raised o’ver me in the utmost heaven.

I will stay idle like a primeval boulder,Until the Lord’s hammersmith – and he alone! –Assists me with an ampIe masterstroke.

NightThis night here, that is sleeping so peacefullyBefore you, is a creation of an angel.And though she’s made of stone, she can breatheAnd will speak as soon as she’s awakened.

‘Tis sweet to sleep, e’en sweeter to be a stone,When ‘round me there is shame and crime alone.There’s some relief in it when you can’t feel, nor see,So pray be silent, friend, yea, why awaken me?

DeathFeeling my death e’en now, if not its date and time,I see my life is speeding up its pace.And still, my body aches for fleshly joy,While the soul of mine prefers death to vice.

The world is blind, and eyes perceive no message,A shameful one, from the evil’s rule;There is no hope, and darkness covers all,And Lie prevails, Truth casting down its look.

Now when, O Lord, will it at last come forth –What is longed for by those loyal? In delaysFaith withers up, and the soul’s oppressed;

Why should we need the light of Thy salvation,When death does render us much faster, and forever,Among the filth he finds when he comes by?

19 TvorchestvoKogda skalu moj zhostkij molotokV oblichija l’udej preobrazhaet, -Bez mastera, kotoryj napravl’aetJego udar, on delu b ne pomog.

No bozhij molot iz seb’a izvl’okRazmah, chto miru prelest’ soobschaet;Vse moloty tot molot predveschaet,I v n’om odnom im vsem zhivoj urok.

Chem vyshe vzmah ruki nad nakoval’nej,Tem t’azhelej udar: tak zanes’onI nado mnoj on k vys’am podnebesnym;

Mne glyboju kosnet’ pervonachal’noj,Poka kuznets gospoden, – tol’ko on! Neposobit udarom polnovesnym.

20 NochVot eta noch, chto tak spokojno spitPered toboju, – angela sozdanje.Ona iz kamn’a, no v nej jest’ dyhanje:Lish razbudi, – ona zagovorit.

Mne sladko spat’, a pusche kamnem byt’,Kogda krugom pozor i prestuplenje:Ne chuvstvovat’, ne videt’ – oblegchenje,Umolkni zh, drug, k chemu men’a budit’?

21 Smert’Uzh chuja smert’, hot’ i ne znaja sroka,Ja vizhu: zhizn’ vs’o ubystr’aet shag.No telu jescho zhalko plotskih blag,Dushe zhe smert’ zhelannee poroka.

Mir vslepote: postydnogo urokaIz vlasti zia ne izvlekaet zrak,Nadezhdy net, i vs’o objemlet mrak.I lozh tsarit, i pravda pr’achet oko,

Kogda zh, gospod’, nastupit to,Chego zhdut vernye tebe? OslabevaetV otsrochkah vera, dushu davit gn’ot;

Na chto nam svet spasenja tvoego,Raz smert’ bystrej i navsegda javl’aetNas vsramote, vkotoroj zastajot?

27

8. One does need trousers, on that I give you my word,but first of all a roof over one’s head,for without shelter, your grey head will become

louse-ridden.In such a heart, as hard as a rock,stirs not the pain of others,but you shall not sleep sweetly, when youclose your beady eyes.

9. Hey, ho, hey, ho!He who has no luck– Lightning, thunder and hail –in storm and in the elementshe trembles not before his fate,may it last through day and night!

10. He who only stands in his service,to rake in a fortune,he will leave you behind in bad weather.But he remains with you, your faithful fool,and obeys not the call of money,he truly is a poor fool,but he is not a knave!A fool, but not a knave!

8. Hosen braucht man, daraufgebe ich mein Wort,aber zuerst ein Dach über dem Kopf,sonst verlaust ohne Schutz dein graues Haupt.

An ein solches Herz, hart wie die Ferse,rührt nicht der Schmerz der anderen,aber sie werden nicht süß schlafen.wenn sie ihr Hühnerauge drückt.

9. Hey, ho, hey, ho!Der, der kein Glück besitzt– Blitz, Donner und Hagel –Im Sturm und im GewitterZittert er nicht vor dem Schicksal,möge es auch Tag und Nacht audauern!

10. Wer nur im Dienst dessen steht,Daß er ein Vermögen einnimmt,der Läßt dich allein im Unwetter zurück.Aber er bleibt bei dir, dein treuer Hofnarr,er gehorcht nicht dem Geld,er ist ein armsaliger Narr,aber er ist kein Schuft!Ein Narr, aber kein Schuft!

Translation from the Russian: © Georg Kury

2. A sorrowful day for fools:All the country’s wise menhave lost all reasonand are now the same as me.They began to weep for joy,and I for sadness, knowing,that my King mimes the anarchy of fools.Spoken text:I learned to sing at the same timeas you, King Lear, made daughters forthe mothers,put a rod in their handsand let your trousers down.

3. Crumbs of bread, dry rinds,the wee hungry mouse,remembers the rind.

4. I raised the cuckoo as a sparrow,the homeless bird,and suddenly he killed his foster-father.

5. Daughters and sons-in law are always niceto wealthy, worthy fatthers,but those who wear patched trousers,can expect no sympathy from the family.Fate is a money-hungry whore,who does not lie down with the hungry.

6. When it is clear to the clergy,that a soul becomes blackened by wealth.and the brewer stops thinninghis wares with water,when the cavaliers have had enoughof learning manners from the tailor,when the heretic monk does notstand at the stake to burn,when justice is no longer banished;and not sentenced without blame,when the slander is silenced,a lock fixed upon the mouth,then will Albion be shaken to its foundations,

then we shall go with you,our heads in the air, and our feet on the ground!

7. Lisa is a rogue and a daughter to the King,for you a rope, a noose!I shall sell my fool’s cap and buy a noose,

the fool – a friend of the King!

2. Für Narre nein trauriger Tag:Alle klugen Köpfe des Landeshaben den Verstand verlorenund werden mir gleich.Sie begannen loszuheulen vor Glück,aber ich aus Trauer, wisssend,daß mein König der Anarchie den Narren mimt.Sprechtext:Ich habe zu der Zeit singen gelernt,als Du, King Lear, für die Mütter dieTochter machtest,ihnen eine Rute in die Hand gabstund die Hosen herunterließest.

3. Brotkrümel, trockene Rinden, das hungrige Mäuschen,es gedachte der Rinde.

4. Ich zog den Kuckuck als Spatzen auf,den heimatlosen Vogel,und plötzlich tötet der den Pflegevater.

5. Töchter und Schwiegersöhne sind liebzu reichen würdevollen Vätern,aber wer die Hosen geflickt hat,für den hat die Familie kein Mitleid.Das Schicksal ist eine gewinnsüchtige Hure,es legt sich nicht zu den Hungrigen.

6. Wenn es dem Geistlichen klar wird,daß die Seele wegen des Geldes schwarz wird,und der Bierbrauer aufhört mit Wasserseine Ware zu verdünnen,wenn es die Kavaliere satt haben,bei Schneidern die Manieren zu lernen,wenn der ketzerische Mönch nichtauf dem Scheiterhaufen zur Verbrennung steht,wenn das Recht nicht verstoßen wird,und ohne Schuld nicht verurteilt wird,wenn die Verleumdung verstummt,ein Schloß am Mund angebracht wird,dann wird Albion in den Grundmauern erschüttert

werden,dann werden wir mit euch gehen,den Kopf nach oben, mit den Füßen am Boden!

7. Lisa ist eine Schelmin und die Tochter des Königs,für euch ein Strick, eine Schlinge!Die Narrenkappe verkaufe ich und kaufe eine

Schlinge,der Narr – ein Freund des Königs!

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BORISWhat are you singing for, have you nothing else to do?

KATERINAWhat can I do?

BORISWhy ever did we take the likes of youinto our house?I kept saying to my son:don’t marry Katerina,but he wouldn’t listen.Fine sort of wife:over four years marriedand still not produced a child!

KATERINAIt’s not my fault, it’s not my fault.

BORISWhat!

KATERINAIt’s not my fault, it’s not my fault.

BORISWhose is it then?

KATERINAZinoviy is incapableof getting a child into my womb.

BORISSo that’s it!It all depends on the womanwhat sort of wife a man gets.Now if a fine womanhad loved himand embraced him,a child would soon have arrived.But you’re as cold as a fish,you don’t encourage his embraces,you don’t encourage his embraces.We’ve no heir to leave our fortune to,nor our renowned reputation as a merchant.You’d like to hook some youngsterand make off with him and jeer at your husband.No, don’t try that on, the fence is high,the dogs are loose, the workers trustyand I’m always on the alert.Get the poison ready for the rats,they’ve eaten all the flour again.(Exit.)

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHChevó poyósh, dyéla tebyé drugóvo nyet?

EKATERINA LVOVNAA shto dyélat’?

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHI zachém tebyá myvzyáli v dom takúyu?Govoril ya sýnu:nye zhenis na Katerina,nye poslúshalsa.Khoroshá zhená:pyáty god zámuzhem,a rebyónochka yeshchó nye rodilá!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye moyá viná, nye moyá viná.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHShto!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye moyá viná, nye moyá viná…

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHChya zhe!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye mózhet Zinóviy Borisovichpolozhit’v nutró moyó rebyónochka.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHVot kak!Vsyo ot báby zavisit,kakáya bába popadyótsa.Lyubila b yevókhoróshaya bába.Laskála by,i rebyónochek vmig by rodilsa by.A ty, kak rýba kholódnaya,nye staráeshsa láski dobit’sa.Nye staráeshsa láski dobit’sa.Nyet u nas naslyédnika kapitálui kupyécheskomu slávnomu imeni.Ráda by kakóvo-nibúd’ mólodtsa podtsepit’,da udrát’ s nim, nad múzhem nasmekháyas.Nyet, shalish, vysók zabór,sobáki spúshcheny, rabótniki verný,i ya vsyo vrémya nachekú.

4 Prigotóv otrávu dlya krys,opýat’ mukú vsyu poyéli.

Act 1

Scene 1(Katerina is lying on her bed yawning.)

KATERINAOh, I don’t feel like sleep any more, but I’ll try.(tries to sleep)No, I can’t sleep.Of course, I slept all night, then got upand drank tea with my husband,then went back to bed.After all, there’s nothing else to do.O Lord, how boring it is!

It was better when I was single,although we were poor,at least there was some freedom.But now, this depression’s enough to make you hang

yourself.I am a merchant’s wife,married to the eminent merchantZinoviy Borisovich Ismailov.The ant drags along its straw,the cow gives her milk,the farm-labourers pour out the flour,but I alonehave nothing to do,I alone am depressed,to me alone life is unkind,me, the merchant’s wife.(Enter Boris.)

BORISWill there be mushrooms today?

KATERINAYes, there will.

BORISThere will?You know, I’m very fond of mushrooms,especially with buck wheat gruel.

KATERINAWhether the sun’s shining,or a storm is raging,it’s all the same to me now.Oh!

Compact Disc 47

Lady Macbeth of the MtsenskDistrict Op.29

Act 1

Scene 1

EKATERINA LVOVNA1 Akh, nye spitsa ból’she, popróbuyu.

Nyet, nye spitsa,ponyátno, noch spalá, vstála,cháyu s múzhem napilas.Opyát’ leglá.Vyed’ dyélat’ ból’she nyéchevo.Akh, bózhe moy, kakáya skúka!

2 V dyévkakh lúchshe býlo,khot’ i byédno zhili,no svobóda bylá.A tepyér…toská, khot’ vyéshaysa.

Ya kupchikha,suprúga imenitovo kuptsáZinóviya Borisovicha Izmáylova.Muravey taskáet solóminku,koróva dayót molokó,batraki krupchátku ssypáyut,tól’ko mnye odnóydyélat’ nyéchevo,tól’ko ya odná toskúyu,tól’ko mnye odnóy svyet nye milkupchikhe.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICH3 Gribki sevódnya búdut?

EKATERINA LVOVNABúdut.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHBúdut?Smotri, ya óchen lyublyú gribkida s káshitsey, s káshitsey.

EKATERINA LVOVNASvyétit li sóntse,ili grozá bushúetmnye tepyér vsyo ravnóakh!

29

SERGEYAt the Kalganov’s.

BORISWhy did they throw you out?(Enter a labourer.)

COACHMANThe horses are ready.(Boris breaks off his conversation with Sergey.)

BORISWell, it can’t be helped.Say goodbye to your wife.

ZINOVIY (takes leave of his wife)Goodbye, Katerina.(to his father)Tell her to remain my obedient wife.

BORISSwear an oath! An oath!Get an oath from herthat she’ll remain faithful to you.

ZINOVIYWhatever for?I’m not going for long, after all.

BORISYou never know,do it just in case;young wives are all the same…‘S’il vous plaît, rendez vous,sauce provençale…’

ZINOVIYYes.

BORISGet me?

ZINOVIYYes.

BORISWatch out someone doesn’tseduce her.

ZINOVIYYes.

SERGEYU Kalgánovykh.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHA za shto tebyá prognáli?

COACHMANLóshadi gotóvy.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHNu, dyélat’ nyéchevo.Proshcháysa s zhenóy.

ZINOVIY6 Proshcháy, Katerina.

Skazhi, shtob slúshalas menyá.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKlyátvu! Klyátvu!Klyátvu s neyó vozmi.Shto vyérnoy tebyé ostánetsa.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHDa zachém zhe?Ya vyed’ nye nadólgo.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHMálo li shto,na vsyáky slúchay;molody�ye zhóny tovó…Sil’vuplé, randevú,sous provansal’…

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHAha!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHPonimáesh?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHAha!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKak by yeyó tovókto-nibúd’ nye obol’stil.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHAha!

KATERINAYou’re a rat yourself!You should have the poison!(Prepares the rat poison. Enter Zinoviy, Boris, a messenger and other servants, including Sergey.)

ZINOVIY (to the mill-hand)Speak up!

MILL-HANDThe dam at the mill has burstand there’s an enormous breach.What shall we do now, eh!

ZINOVIYAs if we hadn’t enough work already.I’ll have to go myself.

BORISGo, then!Without the master nothing’ll get done.People can’t be relied on!

SERVANTSHa, ha, ha!

BORISWhat are you sniggering about?Your master has to go awayand you don’t show any signof grief or regret!

LABOURERSWe do!Why are you leaving us, master,why? why?To whom would you abandon us?To whom? To whom?Without the master life will be dreary,dreary, dull and joyless,home without you is not like home;work without you is not like work.Not like work, not like work.Pleasures without you are no real pleasures.Return as quickly as you can!Be quick!(Zinoviy leads Sergey up to Boris.)

ZINOVIYLook, father:here’s the new labourer I hired today.

BORISAll right.Where did you work before?

EKATERINA LVOVNASam ty kry�sa!Tebyé by otrávy étoy!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICH5 Govori!

MILL-HANDPlotinu-to na myél’nitse proválo,i prórva-to takáya ogromádnaya.Kak tepyér byt’, a?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHA rabóty kak na zlo mnógo.Pridyótsa yékhat’ samomú.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHPoezzháy!Byez khozyáyskovo gláza nel’zyá.Naród nenadyózhny!

SERVANTSHa, ha, ha!…

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHShto peresmyeivaetes?Khozyáin uezzháet,a vy ni grústi, ni toskinye chústvuete!

LABOURERSChústvuem!Zachém zhe ty uezzháesh khozyáin,zachém? Zachém?Na kovó ty nas pokidáesh?Na kovó? Na kovó?Byez khozyáina búdet skúshno,skúshno, tosklivo, bezrádostno,dom byez tebyá nye dom;rabóta byez tebyá nye rabóta.Nye rabóta, nye rabóta.Vesyélye byez tebyá nye vesyélye.Vozvrashcháysa kak mózhno skoryéy!Skoryéy!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHVot pápa, posmotri:nóvovo rabótnika sevódnya nányal.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHLádno.Ránshe gdye sluzhil?

30

Scene 2(In the yard Zinoviy’s servants are fooling around. Theyhave put Aksinya in an open-ended butt and won’t lether out.)

AKSINYAOh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!Oh, you shameless creature, hey, don’t pinch,oh, you’re hurting! Oh, you’re hurting!Keep your hands off,you shameless brute, hands off!You filthy brute, filthy brute,get your hands off!Get away, you brute!Oh! You swine! Oh! Oh!Swine, swine, swine, swine!Oh, you swine, oh, you swine!Oh! Oh! You’re hurting, you’re hurting.

SHABBY PEASANTJust like a nightingale!Come on, let’s feel her, let’s feel her,squeeze harder! Again!What boobs, oh what boobs,oh lovely, lovely, lovely boobs!Oh, how smooth they are!Harder ! Harder! Harder! Harder!Ha, ha, ha…

PORTERA sow is singing like a nightingale.Have a good feel all over!What a nose she’s got, what a nose,big enough for seven!That’s the sort of legyou could make into chops!Ha, ha, ha!…

LABOURERSWhat a pretty voice, what a pretty voice.What a pretty voice!What a pretty voice…Ha, ha, ha…What a pretty voice,what a pretty voice.What a pretty voice,ha, ha, ha…What a pretty voice!Ha, ha, ha…

Scene 2

AKSINYA9 Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay! Ay!

Ay, besstýshy, oy, nye shchipli,ay! ból’no, ay! ból’no,ish ty kudá polyéz,besstýzhy chort, kudá polyéz?Parshivy chort, parshivy chort,nye lyez!Akh chort, poshól.Ay! Svóloch! Ay! Ay!Svóloch, svóloch, svóloch, svóloch!Akh! ty svóloch, akh ty svóloch!Ay! Ay! Ból’no, ból’no!

SHABBY PEASANTPryámo solóvushka.A nu, poshchúpay, a nu poshchúpayprizhmi! Yeshchó!Vot tak výmya, nu i výmya,ay výmya, ay výmya, ay výmya!Ay gládkoe!Zhmi! Zhmi! Zhmi! Zhmi!Ha, ha, ha!…

PORTERSvinyá solovyóm zaliváetsa.Lovchée poshár, shar!Vot tak nos, nu i nos,Bog semerým nyos!Iz takóy nózhkidyélayut kotlyéty.Ha, ha, ha!…

LABOURERSNu i golosók, nu i golosók,nu i golosók!Nu i golosók…Ha, ha, ha!…Nu i golosók.Nu i golosók.Nu i golosók,ha, ha, ha!…Nu i golosók!Ha, ha, ha!…

BORISKaterina,swear on the sacred icon,that you’ll be faithful to your husband.

KATERINAI swear!

BORISWell, that’s all.Goodbye, Zinoviy.Say goodbye to your wife.

ZINOVIYGoodbye, Katerina darling!Goodbye!

BORISNot like that!On your knees! On your knees! Come on!He’s off on a long journey – spare an extra tear…On your way, then!(Exeunt all except Aksinya, Katerina, Sergey and Boris)

AKSINYA (to Sergey)Why are you standing there?Why did you stay behind?(Exit Sergey.)(to Katerina)That new labourer,he’s a dreadful woman-chaser,name any female who’s taken his fancy,he’ll get her into trouble,he’s got it all: he’s talland handsome, with a good figure.He used to work at the Kalganov’s;started carrying on with the mistressand got fired for it.

BORIS (to Katerina)Why aren’t you crying?Your husband’s gone, after all.What a wife: says goodbye to her husbandand can’t even shed a single tear!

Interlude

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKaterina,poklyanis na svyatóy ikóne,shto múzhu búdesh vyérnoy.

EKATERINA LVOVNAKlyanús!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHNu, tepyér vsyo.Proshcháy, Zinóviy.S zhenóy prostis.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHProshcháy, Katerinushka!Proshcháy!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHNye tak!V nógi! V nógi! Nu!Dál’niye próvody, lishniye slyózy…Poezzháy!

AKSINYA7 Chevó vstal?

Chevó ostanovilsa?

Rabótnik nóvy,devichúr okayánny,kakúyu khóchesh bábudo grekhá dovedyót.Vsyem vzyal: i róstom,i litsóm, i krasotóyu.On prézhde u Kalgánovykh sluzhil;s sámoy khozyáykoy spútalsa,za to i výgnali.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHShto nye pláchesh?Muzh vyed’ uyékhal.Nu i zhená: múzha provodila,a samá khot’ slezinku prolilá.

8 Interlude

31

SERGEYLook out! Stop! Hold on to her!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!What a pretty voice!Hold still, Aksinya,get hold of her, Seryozhka!

AKSINYAGet him off me!

SERGEYWell now! Stand still!

AKSINYAOh! Oh! Oh! Oh!

LABOURERSWhat a pretty voice!

SERGEYStop, woman!

AKSINYAOh, he’ll catch me!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…Squeeze her, squeeze her,squeeze her, squeeze her.

SERGEYStop, woman, stop!

AKSINYAOh!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…He’ll make us die of laughing,die of laughing.

SERGEYStop!

AKSINYASwine!

LABOURERSWe’ll split our sides with laughing,split our sides!

SERGEYA! Oh! Oh! Oh!…

SERGEYA nu! Postóy Zaderzhite!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…Nu i golosókderzhis, Aksinya,lovi, Seryózhka!

AKSINYAUymite vy yevó.

SERGEYA nu! Postóy!

AKSINYAAy! Ay! Ay! Ay!

LABOURERSNu i golosók.

SERGEYStoy, bába!

AKSINYAAy, dogónit.

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…Nazhimáy! Nazhimáy!Nazhimáy! Nazhimáy!

SERGEYStoy, bàba, stoy!

AKSINYAAy!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…Umoril, on nas so smyékhu,umoril, umoril.

SERGEYPostóy!

AKSINYASvóloch!

LABOURERSNasmeshil on nas do smyérti,nasmeshil, nasmeshil!

SERGEYA! Ay! Ay! Ay!…

STEWARDAha! She’s plump, oh, she’s plump,let’s have another go!And another…Ho, ho, ho!What luscious arms!What nice plump legs,what luscious arms,what nice plump legs!Ha, ha, ha…

SERGEYLet me get hold of her arm,ho, ho, here’s a nice smooth place,plump and smooth and warm!She’s a fine piece of woman,as smooth as silk,oh lord, oh lord, how fine!But her face is all pimply.Ha, ha, ha!…

PORTERLet’s have a suck.

SHABBY PEASANTWell? Well? Well?Ha, ha, ha!…

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha…What a pretty voice.Ha, ha, ha!…

AKSINYAOh, you swine,my breast’s covered in bruises!The shameless brute,he’s pinched my breast all over;what a rascal,he’s torn my skirt to pieces.

PORTER AND STEWARDRip his trousers, Aksyusha!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…

SERGEYCome on now, let go!

AKSINYAHelp! He pinched me!Oh! Oh!

STEWARDOho! Zhiru to, zhiru,yeshchó, tak, tak!A yeshchó…Ho, ho, ho!…Vot tak rúchki!Vot tak nózhki,vot tak rúchki,vot tak nózhki!Ha, ha, ha!…

SERGEYDáyte mnye za rúchku poderzhátsa,ho-ho, gládkoe, tólstoe,gládkoe, tyóploe.Khoroshá, khoroshá,tóchno krov s molokóm,yey-bógu, yey-bógu khoroshá.A rózha v pryshchákh.Ha, ha, ha!…

PORTERRazreshite pososát’.

SHABBY PEASANTNu? Nu? Nu?Ha, ha, ha!…

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha…Nu i golosók.Ha, ha, ha!…

AKSINYAAkh, ty svóloch,vsya grud’ v sinyakákh!Kakóy besstýdnik,vsyu grud’ isshchipál;kakóy nasmyéshnik,vsyu yúbku porvál.

PORTER AND STEWARDA ty shtaný kosi, Aksyúsha!

LABOURERHa, ha, ha!…

SERGEYA nu, pusti.

AKSINYAKaraúl! Zashchipál!Ay! Ay!

32

KATERINAYou men certainlythink a lot of yourselves;do you think you’re the only oneswho are strong and brave,the only ones with any wisdom?Haven’t you heard about the timeswhen women kept the whole familyfrom starving?And how in wartimewomen gave the enemy a beating?There have been times when womensacrificed their livesfor their husbands or sweethearts,but this means nothing to you.Well, I’ll give you a good thrashingto show youwhat a woman’s good for.

SERGEYWell then, madam, allow me to take your hand,if that is so.(Katerina gives Sergey her hand. Sergey squeezes it.)

KATERINAYou’re hurting, let go,it’s my ring…

SERGEYYour wedding ring’s digging into you.

KATERINALet go, let go, let go!

SERGEYJust hang on a bit longer.

KATERINAYou’re hurting, let go!(Katerina pushes Sergey away and he falls.)

SHABBY PEASANT (excitedly)Hey look, she’s given him a good push!(Sergey gets up, rubbing his bruises.)

SERGEYI’ve a suggestion to make to you.

KATERINAWell?

SERGEYLet’s try a bit of wrestling.

EKATERINA LVOVNAMnógo vy, muzhiki,o sebyé vozmechtáli;dúmaete, vy i sil’ny,tól’ko vy i khrabrýtól’ko vy i umóm výshli?A kak báby inóy razvsyu semyú kormyát,nye znáesh?A kak báby poróyna voyné vragóv bili?Inóy raz bábyza muzhéy da za milykh svoikhzhizn svoyú otdaváli,a tebyé vsyo éto nipochóm.Vot vozmú i pokolochú,shtóby znalna shto bába prigódna.

SERGEY11 A nu-s, pozvól’te rúku-s,

yésli eto vyérno.

EKATERINA LVOVNABól’no, pusti,kol’tsó…

SERGEYObruchál’noe kolyéchko dávit.

EKATERINA LVOVNAPusti, pusti, pusti!

SERGEYPoterpite yeshchó malost’.

EKATERINA LVOVNABól’no, pusti!

SHABBY PEASANTVish ty, kak tolkanúla.

SERGEYPredlozhénye u menyá k vam yest’.

EKATERINA LVOVNANu?

SERGEYPoborótsa s vámi.

AKSINYALet go, let go, let go, let go!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…(Enter Katerina.)

SHABBY PEASANTHere’s the mistress!

AKSINYAOh!

KATERINA (to Aksinya)What’s the matter with you?

AKSINYAThey’ve torn my skirt to pieces.

KATERINALet the woman go;so you enjoy mocking a woman?

SERGEYWho else can we make fun of?

KATERINASo a woman’s only therefor you to make fun of, is she?

SERGEYWhat other reason is there?

AKSINYA (to Sergey)Oh you swine!

SERGEYNow, now, now!…

AKSINYAPusti, pusti, pusti, pusti!

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…

SHABBY PEASANT10 Bárynya!

AKSINYAAy!

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto s tobóyu?

AKSINYAYúbku vsyu porváli.

EKATERINA LVOVNAOtpustite bábu;rády nad báboy poizdevátsa!

SERGEYDa nad kyem i smeyátsa-to nam?

EKATERINA LVOVNAShtozh vam bábadlya smyékha daná, shto li?

SERGEYA na kakóy zhe yeshchó predmyét?

AKSINYAAkh ty svóloch!

SERGEYNu, nu, nu!…

33

Scene 3(Katerina’s bedroom)

KATERINATime for bed. The day is over,time for bed, time for bed.I’ve no one to talk to,oh, how boring it is, how boring,just walls and doors with locks on them.(Enter Boris.)

BORISKaterina!

KATERINAYes?

BORISTime for bed.

KATERINAIt’s still quite early.

BORISNonsense!What have you got to do?Your husband’s not here,no need to waste the candle.

KATERINAAll right, I’ll go to bed.(Exit Boris. Katerina undresses.)The foal runs after the filly,the tom-cat seeks the female,the dove hastens to his mate,but no one hurries to me.The wind caresses the birch-treeand the sun warms it with his heat,for everyone there’s a smile from somewhere,but no one will come to me,no one will put his hand round my waist,no one will press his lips to mine.No one will stroke my white breast,no one will tire me out with his passionate embraces.The days go by in a joyless procession,my life will flash past without a smile.No one, no one will ever come to me,no one will come to me.(Katerina undresses completely and lies down on thebed. A knock is heard at the door.)Who’s there? Who’s that knocking?

SERGEY (outside the door)Please don’t be afraid.It’s me.

Scene 3

EKATERINA LVOVNA13 Spat’ porá. Dyen proshól,

spat’ porá, spat’ porá.Slóva nye s kyem skazát’ mnye,akh, kak skúshno; skúshno mnye,styény, dvyéri i zamki na dveryákh.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKaterina!

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto?

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHSpat’ porá.

EKATERINA LVOVNARáno yeshchó.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHPustyaki,shto dyélat’ tebyé?Múzha nyétu,nyéchevo zrya zhech svechú.

EKATERINA LVOVNALádno, ozhús.

14 Zherebyónok k kobýlke torópitsa,kótik prósitsa k kóshechke,a gólub k golúbke stremitsa,i tól’ko ko mnye niktó nye speshit.Beryózku vyéter laskáet,i teplóm svoim gréyet sólnyshko.Vsyem shto-nibúd’ ulybáetsa,tól’ko ko mnye niktó nye pridyót,niktó stan moy rukóy nye obnimet,niktó gúby k moim nye prizhmyót.Niktó moyú byléluyu grud’ nye pogládit,niktó strástnoy laskoy menyá nye istomit.Prokhódyat moi dni bezrádostnyye,promelknyót moyá zhizn byez ulýbki.Niktó, niktó ko mnye nye pridyót.Niktó ko mnye nye pridyót.

15 Kto éto, kto, kto stuchit?

SERGEYNye izvól’te pugát’sa.Eto ya.

KATERINAAll right, let’s try.

SERGEYOut of the way, everybody!(Sergey and Katerina wrestle.)

KATERINAWhy have you stopped?

SERGEYI forgot…With you in my arms I’m thinking…What about it,I’ve plenty of strength in me!(Sergey throws Katerina to the ground.)

KATERINALet go, let go, let go!Oh, Seryozha, let go!(Enter Boris.)

BORISWhat’s all this?(Katerina gets up.)

KATERINAI was just passing byand caught my foot in a sack.And fell;he tried to help me upand fell down too.

SHABBY PEASANTThat’s exactly what happened.

BORIS (to the labourers)What are you standing around for?Who’s going to do your work for you?What do you think you’re paid for?Spongers, loafers, drunkards!(to Sergey)Get out, don’t hang around.(to Katerina)Fry me some mushrooms.Just you wait, when your husband gets back,I’ll tell him everything.

Interlude

EKATERINA LVOVNAShtozh, popróbuem.

SERGEYRasstupis, naród!

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto zhe ty ostanovilsa?

SERGEYZabýl…Derzhú vas v rukákh i dúmayu…Da chevó tut,vo mnye sily mnógo!

EKATERINA LVOVNAPusti, pusti, pusti!Akh, Seryózha, pusti!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHShto éto?

EKATERINA LVOVNAProkhodila mimo,zatsepila nogóy za meshók,upála;on khotýel podnyát,i sam upál.

SHABBY PEASANTOnó tochno.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHChevó stoite?Rabótat’ kto za vas búdet?Za shto vam dyéngi plátyat?Tuneyádtsy, lezhebóki, pyánitsy!

Stupáy, shto vstal?

Gribkóv podzhár.Vot pogodi, priyédet muzh,vsyo rasskazhú.

12 Interlude

34

SERGEYNo wonder!

KATERINAIf only I had a child!

SERGEYYes, but even a child,if you’ll allow me to put it like this,comes as a result of something,not just of its own accord.Now let’s suppose you did have a biton the side,like all the other women do…in your position you’d find itpretty well impossible to meet him.Say he was someone herein this very house?Do you think I don’t understand?I’ve been in service for yearsand seen enough of women’s lot.

KATERINAYes…All right, Sergey, go away now.

SERGEYI’ll be on my way.

KATERINAGoodbye.(Sergey does not leave.)

SERGEYThat was a good wrestle we had,you’re certainly strong…

KATERINAWell, why bring that up?

SERGEYAllow me to say,it was the happiest moment in my life,would you like to try again?

KATERINADon’t you dare!

SERGEYOr let’s get hold of each other.(He embraces Katerina.)

SERGEYKak nye skuchát’!

EKATERINA LVOVNAYésli b rebyónochek rodilsa.

SERGEYDa vyed’ i rebyónochek,pozvól’te mnye vam dolozhit’,tózhe vyed’ ot chevó-nibúd’ byváet,a nye sam po sebyé.Nu, skázhem, byl by u vas predmyétso storonýtak, kak vsye drugie dyélayut…Da vam v váshem polozhéniividet’sa s nim pochti nevozmózhno.Rázve byl by on zdyesv étom dóme?Ya, dúmaete, nye ponimáyu?Skól’ko lyet u khozhyáev zhivú,naglyadyélsa na zhénskuyu dólyu.

EKATERINA LVOVNADa…Nu shtozh, Sergéy, ukhodi.

SERGEY16 Ya poydú.

EKATERINA LVOVNAProshcháy.

SERGEYKhoroshó vy togdá so mnoy borôlisa,silishcha u vas…

EKATERINA LVOVNANu, shtozh vspominát’.

SERGEYPomiluyte,sámy schastlivy mig v moyéy zhizni.Nye khotite l’ yeshchó?

EKATERINA LVOVNANyet, shto ty!

SERGEYA to skhvátimsa.

KATERINAWho?

SERGEYSergey.

KATERINASergey? What is it?What do you want here at night?

SERGEYJust a small matter, open the door!

KATERINAWhat small matter?

SERGEYOpen the door, then I’ll tell you.(Katerina opens the door. Enter Sergey.)

KATERINAWell, what is it?

SERGEYI’ve come to ask if I can borrow a book…

KATERINAWhat book?

SERGEY…to have a read.

KATERINASergey, I haven’t any books.I can’t read anywayand my husband doesn’t read books.

SERGEYI’m dying of boredom.

KATERINAWell, why don’t you get married?

SERGEYWho to?A daughter of the house would never have meand I’ve no use for common girls;they’re so ill-educatedand I’m a man of fine feelings;that’s why I’m bored.

KATERINAI’m bored too.

EKATERINA LVOVNAKto?

SERGEYSergéy.

EKATERINA LVOVNASergéy? Zachém?Shto tebyé nádo da nóchu?

SERGEYDýel’tse yest’, otvorite!

EKATERINA LVOVNAKakóe dy�el’tse?

SERGEYOtvorite, togdá skazhú.

EKATERINA LVOVNANu, shto tebyé?

SERGEYPrishól k vam knizhku poprosit’…

EKATERINA LVOVNAKakúyu knizhku?

SERGEY…pochitát’.

EKATERINA LVOVNANyétu u menyá, Sergéy, nikakikh knizhek.Samá ya negrámotnaya,a muzh nye knig chitáet.

SERGEYSkúka odoleváet.

EKATERINA LVOVNAShtozh ty nye zhénishsa?

SERGEYNa kom?Khozyáyskaya doch za menyá nye poydyót.A prostýkh mnye nye nádo;neobrazóvannost’ vsyo,a ya chelovyék chustvitel’ny;vot i skucháyu.

EKATERINA LVOVNAI ya skucháyu.

35

SERGEYI can’t go anywhere away from here.

KATERINAThe old man will lock the doors.

SERGEYTo a lover windows can be a doorway.Come, my Katya!

KATERINADarling!

SERGEYNikudá ya otsúda nye poydú.

EKATERINA LVOVNASvyókor dvyéri zapryót.

SERGEYDóbromu mólodtsu i ókna dvyer.A nu, Kátya!

EKATERINA LVOVNAMily!

KATERINALet go, Sergey, let go!What are you thinking of?Let go!The old man might come backand see us;let go, Sergey!

SERGEYAnyway, I’m stronger than you.

KATERINASergey, you mustn’t.What are you doing? I’m afraid.

SERGEYMy dearest!

KATERINAWhat are you doing?Darling, let go, darling,I don’t wa…

SERGEYOh, Katya, my dearest love!

KATERINAGo away, for God’s sake,I’m a married woman.

SERGEYYou mustn’t speak of that.

KATERINAI have no husbandbut you alone.

BORIS (off-stage)Katerina…

KATERINAThe old man…

BORIS…are you in bed?

KATERINAI’m just going.

BORISWell, all right.

KATERINAGo, quick.

EKATERINA LVOVNAPusti, Sergéy, pusti!Shto ty výdumal?Pusti!Prodyót svyókor,mózhet uvídet’;pusti, Sergéy.

SERGEYYa vsyo-taki sil’nyéy.

EKATERINA LVOVNASergéy, nye nàdo.Shto ty? Ya boyús.

SERGEYZhizn moyá!

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto ty dyélaesh?Mily, pusti, mily.Ya nye kho…

SERGEYAkh, Kátya, rádost’ ty moyá!

EKATERINA LVOVNAUydi ty, rádi bóga,ya múzhnyaya zhená.

SERGEYNye nádo ob étom.

EKATERINA LVOVNANyet u menyá múzhatól’ko ty odin.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKaterina…

EKATERINA LVOVNASvyókor…

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICH…leglá?

EKATERINA LVOVNALozhús.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHNu to-to.

EKATERINA LVOVNAIdi.

36

SERGEYGoodbye, Katya, goodbye!(Sergey climbs out of the window and down the drain-pipe.)

BORISWhat’s all this?I can hear somebody’s voice;better have a look.

KATERINAWait a bit longer.

SERGEYIt’s getting light.

KATERINAThe nights always used to drag on, endlessly,but now these last seven nightsthat we’ve spent togetherhave flown by as though on wings.

BORISHere’s treachery, treachery!Katerina’s betraying her husbandand has found a lover.Who is he?You’re too late, Boris Timofeyevich!Ah, hell, what a scandal,God in heaven!

SERGEYIt’s true, when you’re with a lover,time passes more quickly.Goodbye, Katya!

BORISWhat a scoundrel!

KATERINAGoodbye, Seryozha!

SERGEYKatya!

BORISIt’s Sergey, that new labourer,the swine.He’s the thief…All right, just you wait.

KATERINASeryozha, goodbye, goodbye!

SERGEY19 Proshcháy, Kátya, proshcháy!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHEto shto takóe?Gólos kakóy-to;nádo posmotryét’.

EKATERINA LVOVNAPodozhdí yeschchó.

SERGEYSvetáet.

EKATERINA LVOVNAPrézhde nóchi tyanúlis dólgo, dólgo,a tepyér éti syem nochéy,shto my s tobóyu vmyéste provódim,letyát, kak na krýl’yakh.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHIzmyéna, izmyéna,Katerina múzhu izmenyáet,molodtsá otyskála.Kto zh on?Opozdál Boris Timofyévich;akh chort, srámy-to skól’ko,góspodi bózhe moy!

SERGEYIzvyéstno, vrémya v lyubviprokhódit bystréye.Proshcháy, Kátya!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHIsh d’yávol!

EKATERINA LVOVNAProshcháy, Seryózha!

SERGEYKátya!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHSergéy, nóvy rabótnik,svóloch.Vot kto vor…Nu ládno, pogodí.

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha, proshcháy, proshcháy!

Act 2

Scene 4(Boris is walking through the courtyard carrying alantern.)

BORISThat’s what old age means:you can’t sleep.You’re all the time thinking burglarsare on the prowl;I wander around to see if there’s a burglar anywhere.When I was young I couldn’t sleep either,but for a different reason!

I used to hang around under the windows of othermen’s wives,

singing songs, talking whatever nonsense came into my head,

sometimes even climbed through the windows;I’ve had a good life,I’ll say so!Zinoviy doesn’t take after me:can’t even respect his own wife,if I were his age,how I’d –Ay!I’d get her and…He, he, he!…(He notices a light shining in Katerina’s room.)There’s a light in the window.Seems she can’t sleep;of course, she’s a young woman;hot-blooded tooand there’s no one to console her.Ah!Now if I were younger,just ten years or so,what I’d do!She’d have it hot from me;hot, yes, by God, so hot,it’d even be good enough for her!A healthy woman like thatand no man around, no man,no man, no man,no man, no man around;no man, no man at all.No man, no man,no man, no man;it’s dull for a woman without a man,I’ll go and see her, yes I will!(At the window Katerina and Sergey are sayingfarewell.)

Act 2

Scene 4

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICH17 Shto znáchit stárost’:

nye spitsa.Vsyo chúditsa, búdto vórykhotyát ográbit’;khozhú, smotryú, nyet li vóra.Byl mólod – tózhe nye spal,no po drugóy prichine!

18 Pod óknami u chuzhikh zhon pokházhival,

pyésni pyel, vral, shto v gólovu pridyót,

a inogdá i v ókna zabirálsa;khoroshó prozhíl zhizn,yeshchó by ya.Zinóviy nye v menyá:dázhe zhenú uvazhit’ nye mózhet,mnye by yevó godá,vot by ya,ekh!Ya b yeyó…He, he, he!…

Svyet v oknyé.Nye spitsa yey navyérno;izvyéstno, zhénshchina molodáya;krov, znáchit, igráet,a uteshát’sa nye s kyem.Ekh!Bud’ ya pomolózhe,khot’ lyet na desyátok…Togdá, togdá!Zhárko býlo b yey ot menyá;zhárko, zhárko, yey-bógu zhárkooná samá dovól’na búdet!Takáya zdoróvaya,a muzhiká, a muzhiká nyet i nyet;a muzhiká, a muzhiká,a muzhiká, a muzhiká nyet i nyet;nyet muzuhiká, nyet muzhiká, nyet i nyet;nyet muzhiká, nyet muzhiká,nyet muzhiká, nyet muzhiká;byez muzhiká skúshno bábe,poydú k nyey, postóy.

37

KATERINAWhat’s all this? I’m asleep!

BORIS (to Katerina)Asleep? Asleep?No so long agoyou came to the windowand counted the stars as you waited for dawn.Look, Katerina, I’ve caught a thief;now I’m going to thrash him.Come on! Let’s start!(Boris flogs Sergey.)Look, Katerina,what an entertaining sight:I’ve drawn blood,I’ve drawn blood,right, let’s give him some more,just to entertain ourselves, to entertain ourselves.

KATERINALet him go, I tell you,let him go!

BORISYou’ve got plenty of blood, my friend,no wonder you’re so lecherous.

KATERINAOpen the door!Open the door!It’s locked!Open up, open up!

BORISWe’ll get rid of some of that blood for you,you’ll soon feel less energetic, you scoundrel, you villain!Why don’t you cry out, blast you,trying to show off in front of a woman?I’ll get a scream out of you!Take that, and that, and that!Again, again, again, again!

KATERINAAll you people there!Help me, someone!Oh! let him go;whoever opens the door for mewill be rewarded with my love.I’ll jump out of the window!Come on! Quickly!

SHABBY PEASANT (to Katerina)Just coming, just coming…

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto takóe? Ya splyu!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHSpish? Spish!A nye tak davnóty k oknú podkhodíla,zyvózdy schitála, voskhód zhdalá.Glyan, Katerina, vóra poymál;tepyér drat’ yevó búdu.A nu! Nachnyóm!

Smotrí, Katerina,zanyátnoye zrélishche:krov vystupáet,krov vystupáet,a nu, yeshchó,dlya plezíru, dlya plezíru, dlya plezíru.

EKATERINA LVOVNAOtpustíte yevó, éto ya, ya…Otpustí!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKrovyéy, brat, u tebyá mnógo,potomú i v blud pustílsa.

EKATERINA LVOVNADvyer u menyá otkróyte!Dvyer u menyá otkróyte!Na klyuch zapertá!Oktkróyte, otkróyte!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHA my krovyéy tebyé ubávim,zhívo ty smirishsa, negodyáy, kholúy!Shto zh ty nye krichish, d’yávol,pyéred báboy khóchesh khorokhóritsa?Ya iz tebyá krik vy�byu!A nu, a nu, a nu!Yeshchó, yeshchó, yeshchó, yeshchó!

EKATERINA LVOVNALyúdi! Lyúdi!Kto-nibúd’, pomogíte!Akh! Otpustíte;kto mnye dvyer otkróet,tomú lyubóv moyú podaryú.Broshús v oknó!Lyúdi! Poskoryéy!

SHABBY PEASANTSeychás, seychás…

SERGEYKatya, goodbye, goodbye!(Sergey comes out. Boris seizes him by the collar.)

BORISStop! Where have you been?

SERGEYWherever it was, I’m not there now.

BORISSo that’s it, of all our treasures he had to choose the best:he’s spent the night with my son’s wife.Hey, everybody! Hey!

SERGEYDon’t shout like that!

BORISI’ll shout if I want,I’m the boss around here!Come here, everybody! I’ve caught a thief!(The labourers run in half-dressed.)

SERGEYWell, what do you want of me now?

BORISI want to give you five hundred lashes.

SERVANTS AND LABOURERSLord have mercy!

BORIS (to the porter)Give me the whip!Come on, look lively!Take his shirt off!(The porter runs off for the whip.)

SHABBY PEASANTWell, mate, you asked for it…And you’re certainly going to get it…(Shabby peasant strips off Sergey’s shirt.)

PORTERAre you going to flog him yourself, master,or get someone else to do it?

BORISI’ll do it myself!Katerina! Katerina!Katerina! Katerina!Katerina! Katerina!(Katerina appears at the window.)

SERGEYKátya, proshcháy, proshcháy!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHStoy! gdye byl?

SERGEYTam, gdye byl, menyá uzh nyet.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHVóna, iz vsyekh bogátstv kakóe výbralu nevyéstki nochevál.Ey, lyúdi! Ey!

SERGEYDa nye krichí ty!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKhochú krichát,ya zdyes khozyáin!Lyúdi, sudá! Vóra poymál!

SERGEYShto zh ty ot menyá seychás zheláesh?

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHZheláyu ya tebyé pyat’sót pletyéy zakatit’.

SERVANT AND LABOURERSGóspodi, pomíluy!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHDaváy nagayku!Nu, zhivyéy!Snimáy s nevó rubákhu!

SHABBY PEASANTEkh, brat, tovó…eto sámoe…Odnó slóvo – tovó…

PORTERSam li búdesh bit’, khozyáin,ili komú povelish?

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICH Sam!Katerina! Katerina!Katerina! Katerina!Katerina! Katerina!

38

PORTERSergey’s been locked in the store-room, here’s the key.

BORISGo quickly to the milland find Zinoviy Borisovich.Tell him to come home as quickly as he can,tell him there’s trouble at home.(Exit porter. Katerina returns.)

KATERINA (aside)I’ve put in some poison.The old man’ll snuff itfrom rat poison!(Boris eats the mushrooms.)

BORISThey’re delicious mushrooms,you’re really an expert, Katerina,at preparing mushrooms.Go along and get dressed,you’re wandering around the yardalmost naked.Go on…No, stop!My inside’s on fire…Bring some…water.

KATERINAI won’t.

BORISWhat? What did you say?How dare you…

KATERINAI do dare!

BORISYou dare…

KATERINAI dare!

BORISYou slut!(He raises his hand threateningly at Katerina, then fallsto the ground.)

KATERINAWell!

BORISWhat’s the matter with me?

PORTER21 V kladovúyu Sergéya záperli, vot klyuch.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHSkachí na myél’nitsu,otyshchí Zinóviya Borísovicha.Skazhí, shtóby skoryéye vozvrashchálsa domóy.Skazhí: grekh dóma sluchílsa.

EKATERINA LVOVNAPodsy�pala yádu,sdókhnet starík,ot krysinoy otrávy.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHGribkí vkúsnyye,masterítsa ty, Katerina,gribkí gotóvit’.Podí odyénsa,vyed ty chut’ nye gólayapo dvorú khódish.Idí…Stoy!Zhzhot menyá vnutri…Vody�…prinesí.

EKATERINA LVOVNANye prinesú.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHShto? Kak ty skazála?Ty smyéyesh…

EKATERINA LVOVNASmyéyu!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHSmyéyesh…

EKATERINA LVOVNASmyéyu!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHShlyúkha!

EKATERINA LVOVNANu!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHShto so mnoy?

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…

BORISShut up, stay put!

KATERINAYou’ll not stop me, you’ll not stop me!(She climbs down the drainpipe and hults herself atBoris. The servants seize her and hold her.)You brute! You brute! I won’t let you!Let go…you monster,let go, let go,let go, let me go!Let me go!Let go, let go, let go,let go, let go, let go,let go, let go!

BORISHang on to her!Why are you standing there like a statue, not saying

anything?Don’t show off in front of a woman!So you won’t speak? You won’t speak?Just yell, then I’ll stop!Now! Now! Now! Now! Now!Now! Now!(stops flogging)I’m tired out.

PORTERWould you like me to carry on, master?

BORISNo, that’ll do,we can’t do too much at once,or he’ll peg out.Take him off to the store-room,we’ll flog him again tomorrow.(Sergey is carried away and Katerina is released.)

BORIS (to Katerina)Well, what now?That’s really made me hungry.Is there anything left from supper?Hey there! Are you deaf?

KATERINAThere are some mushrooms left.

BORISJust the thing!Bring me some mushrooms.(Exit Katerina.)

LABOURERSHa, ha, ha!…

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHMolchát, ni s my�esta!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye uderzhíte, nye uderzhíte!

Zvyer! Zvyer! Nye pozvólyu!Pustí…Izverg,pustíte, pustíte,pustíte, otpustíte!Otpustíte!Pustíte, pustíte, pustíte,pustíte, pustíte, pustíte,pustíte, pustíte!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHDerzhite yeyó!Shto zh ty molchísh, kak statuy?

Nye khorokhórsya pyéred báboy!Molchish? Molchish?Zakrichí, togdá perestánu!Nu! Nu! Nu! Nu! Nu!Nu! Nu!

20 Ustál.

PORTERPrikázhete mnye postegát’?

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHNyet, khvátit,zaráz mnógo nel’zyá.Yeshchó sdókhnet.Otnesite v kladovúyu,závtra snóva drat’ búdem.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHNu shto?Progolodálsa ya.Nye ostálos li chevó ot úzhina?Nu! tebyé ya govoryú?

EKATERINA LVOVNAGribkí ostális.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHEto dyélo,daváy sudá gribki.

39

BORISNo, it’s better here.The sun will soon be rising,put me down here.The keys…

SECOND FOREMANWhat?

BORISGet the keys.She’s a trollop…

SECOND FOREMANHe must be raving!

THIRD FOREMANYes, he’s certainly raving.

SECOND FOREMANMust mean he’s really bad.

THIRD FOREMANHe looks bad.

SECOND FOREMANMaybe he’s going to die.

THIRD FOREMANYes, he is…

SECOND FOREMANThat’s what I’m saying, he’s going to die.(Enter first foreman and the priest.)

PRIESTWho’s dying around here?

FIRST FOREMANThis chap.

PRIESTAh! In the name of the Father and of the Son andof the Holy Spirit…

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHNyet, zdyes lúchshe.Sólnyshko skóro výydet,polozhíte sudá.Klyuchí…

SECOND FOREMANShto?

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKlyuchí otnimíte.Potaskúkha…

SECOND FOREMANBryédit, vyérno?

THIRD FOREMANNu, tak i yest’, bryédit.

SECOND FOREMANZnáchit, uzh sovsyém plokh.

THRID FOREMANVidát’ plokh.

SECOND FOREMANMózhet byt’, umryót.

THIRD FOREMANUmryót.

SECOND FOREMANYa pro to i govoryú, umryót.

PRIESTGdye tut umiráyut?

FIRST FOREMANTut.

PRIESTA! Vo imya otsá i sy�na i svyatágo dúkha…

KATERINAWell, you had mushrooms late at night…Lots of people die after eating them.

BORISCall the priest, Katerina dear,call the priest, maybe it’s truethat death is approaching.How it burns…burns…burns like fire.My life has been longand my sins many.Bring the priest here, the priest!God, O God! It’s so painful…So painful…

KATERINAWhere are the store-room keys?(She searches Boris, takes the keys and goes out.)

BORISI can’t breathe…(In the distance is heard the singing of the foremencoming to work. Their voices get nearer and nearer.)

LABOURERSSee, the dawn is breaking,see, the dawn is breaking. Hey!The sky is getting lighter,the sky is getting lighter. Hey!Mustn’t waste time like this,hey, to work, and quickly, fellows. Hey!The barns await us, that’s for sure.The barns await us, that’s for sure. Hey!And the flour that feeds us waits,and the flour that feeds us waits. Hey!Our master’s fierce and crueljust like a crocodile. Hey!(Enter labourers.)

BORISOne of you runand fetch the priest…I’m in a bad way.

FIRST FOREMANIn a moment…

SECOND FOREMANMaybe you’d like usto carry you into the house?

EKATERINA LVOVNAGribkóv, znáchit, ná noch poyéli…Mnógie, mnógie ikh poyévshi pomiráyut.

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHZoví popá, Katerínushka milaya,zoví popá, mózhet i vprávdusmyert’ moyá prikhódit.Zhzhot…zhzhot…Zhzhot tóchno pozhár.Ya mnógo pózhil,mnógo greshíl.Popá sudá, popá sudá.Bózhe bózhe, kakáya bol’…Kakáya bol’…

EKATERINA LVOVNAGdye klyuchí ot kladovóy?

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHDúshno…

LABOURERS22 Vidno, skóro uzh zaryá,

vidno, skóro uzh zaryá. Ekh!Nyébo prosvtelyélo,nyébo prosvtelyélo. Ekh!Nyécha trátit’ vrémya zrya,ey, skoryéye, za dyélo. Ekh!Nas ambáry vyérno zhdut.Nas ambáry vyérno zhdut. Ekh!Zhdyot muká kormílitsa,zhdyot muká kormílitsa, ekh!Nash khozyáin zol i lyuttóchno krokodílitsa. Ekh!

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKto-nibúd’ odinza popóm sbyégayte…Khúdo mnye.

FIRST FOREMANOdín sekúnd…

SECOND FOREMANMózhet, v domprikázhete snestí?

40

Scene 5(Katerina’s bedroom. Katerina and Sergey are lying inbed. Sergey is asleep.)

KATERINASergey, Seryozha!He’s still asleep.

SERGEY (waking up)What?

KATERINAWake up!

SERGEYWhat do you want?

KATERINAWake up!

SERGEYWell?

KATERINAKiss me!(Sergey kisses her.)Not like that, not like that;kiss me so it hurts my lipsand the blood rushes to my headand the icons fall from their shelves.(Sergey kisses her.)Oh! Seryozha!

SERGEYKatya, our love is nearing its end.

KATERINAWhy?

SERGEYZinoviy Borisych will be coming back,your lawful husband,how do you think I’m going to feel,seeing you go to bedwith your lawful husband?

KATERINAThat won’t happen.

Compact Disc 48

Scene 5

EKATERINA LVOVNA1 Sergéy, Seryózha!

Vsyo spit…

SERGEYA?

EKATERINA LVOVNAProsnís!

SERGEYChevó tebyé?

EKATERINA LVOVNAProsnís!

SERGEYNu?

EKATERINA LVOVNAPotselúy menyá!

Nye tak, nye tak;potselúy, shtóby bol’no gubám býlo,shtóby krov k golovyé prilíla,shtob ikóny s kióta posy�palis.

Akh! Seryózha!

SERGEY2 Kátya, prikhódit konyéts lyubvi náshey.

EKATERINA LVOVNAPochemú?

SERGEYPriyédet Zinóviy Borísych,zakónny tvoy suprúg,kak zhe mnye byt’?Smotrét’, kak ty s zakónnym múzhemspat’ lozhishsa?

EKATERINA LVOVNAEtovo nye búdet.

BORIS (to the priest)Father, hear my confession.My sins are many.But you must know this:mine is not a natural death,rats die like this,and the rat poison,is a white powder…(Enter Katerina.)(pointing to Katerina)It was her! It was her!(falls back senseless)

PRIESTHe’s dead.

FOREMENAmen.

KATERINAOh, Boris Timofeyevich,why have you left us?To whom have you abandonedZinoviy and me?What will Zinoviy and Ido now without you?

PRIEST (to Katerina)Why should it happen to him?He was still a strong old boy.

KATERINAHe’d eaten mushrooms at night, you know,a lot of people die after eating them.

PRIESTThat’s so.‘Oh, these mushrooms and cold soups are too much’,as Nikolay Vasilyich Gogol said,that great writer of our Russian land.Yes indeed, people get strange ideas when they’re dying.Boris Timofeyevich saidthat he was dying like a rat;only that can’t be right;a rat dies,but a human being passes away.Strange…But that doesn’t stop us saying a requiem for him.Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace…

Interlude

BORIS TIMOFEYEVICH23 Bátya, ispovyédatsa.

Grekhóv u menyá mnógo.I pritóm znay:nye sprósta ya umiráyu,tákzhe vot kry�sy dókhli,a snádob’e ot krys,byélenky takóy poroshók…

Oná! Oná!

PRIESTKónchilsa.

FOREMENAmín.

EKATERINA LVOVNA24 Akh, Borís Timoféyevich,

zachém ty ot nas ushól?Na kovó ty nass Zinóviem Borísovichem pokínul?Shto my s Zinoviem Borísovichemdyélat’ byez tebyá tepyér búdem?

PRIESTS chevó b yemú,yeshchó krépky byl starichók.

EKATERINA LVOVNAGribkóv znáchit, nóchu poyél;mnógie, mnógie, ikh poyévshi, pomiráyut.

PRIESTI tóchno.Okh, uzh éti mnye gribkí da botvínyi,kak skazál Nikoláy Vasil’ich Gogol’,velíky pisatel’ zemlí rússkoy.Da, chudny�ye my�sli pyéred smyértiyu prikhódyat.Boris Timoféyevich govoríl,shto on kak krýsa izdykháet;tol’ko nye mózhet étovo byt’:kry�sa dókhnet,a chelovyék prestavlyáetsa.Chudnó…Odnáko panikhídku nye mesháet otsluzhít’.“Ny�ne otpushcháeshi rába tvoevó, vlady�ko…”

25 Interlude

41

KATERINAYou can’t frighten me; look at mesleeping with Sergey.

GHOST OF BORISMy eyes cannot see;look, in my eyesis but emptiness and fire.Katerina, Katerina,a curse on you forever!

KATERINAOh, Sergey, wake up!(Sergey wakes up.)

SERGEYWell? What do you want?

KATERINASergey, Seryozha, look and see,the fearful ghost of Boris Timofeyich standing there.(Sergey cannot see the ghost.)

SERGEYNonsense, there’s no one there,calm down, Katya.

KATERINAI’m scared, Seryozha, kiss me, kiss me,kiss me; darling, dearest one,press me closer to your heart!(The ghost disappears, Katerina and Sergey fall asleep.Later Katerina wakes up and rouses Sergey.)(in a whisper)Listen, Sergey, Sergey!

SERGEYWell?

KATERINACan you hear it?

SERGEYWhat?

KATERINASomeone’s walking softly, softly.

SERGEYIt’s your imagination again.

KATERINANo, no.The dogs didn’t bark,so it’s someone they know;can you hear? Someone’s coming.

EKATERINA LVOVNANye zapugáesh, smotrí,kak ya s Sergéyem splyu.

GHOST OF BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHGlazá moi nye vídyat;smotri, v glazákh moíkhpustotá i ogón.Katerína, Katerína,bud’ vyéchno proklyáta!

EKATERINA LVOVNAAkh, Sergéy, prosnis!

SERGEY5 Nu? Chevó tebyé?

KATERINASergéy, Seryózha, posmotrí, vídish,stráshny stoít Boris Timoféyich.

SERGEYPustóe, nikovó tam nyet,uspokóysya, Kátya.

EKATERINA LVOVNAStráshno, Seryózha, tselúy, tselúy,tselúy menyá; míly, dorogóy,krepche prizhmí menyá k syerdtsu!

6 Slúshay, Sergéy, Sergéy!

SERGEYNu?

EKATERINA LVOVNASly�shish?

SERGEYShto takóe?

EKATERINA LVOVNAKto-to khódit tíkho, tíkho.

SERGEYTebyé opyát’ meréshchitsa.

EKATERINA LVOVNANyet, nyet.Sobáki nye láyali,svoy kto-nibúd’;slýshish? Idyót kto-to.

SERGEYKaterina Lvovna, Katenka,I’m not like other men,who don’t care about anything,so long as they’ve got a woman’s soft body to caress.I’m a sensitive person, you know,I can feel what love is.Oh why did I fall in love with youand burn with passion just for you?Can it really be an honour for you,an eminent merchant’s wife,to be my mistress?Oh Katya, what I’d give to becomeyour husband in God’s eyes!As it is,we can meet only at nightand in daylight we’re afraidto show our faces to the world.

KATERINADon’t upset yourself, Sergey,I’ll make you a merchantand we’ll live together properly.

SERGEYHow will you manage that?

KATERINAThat’s not your worry.It’s your business to kiss me hard,like this.(Sergey kisses her, then falls asleep.)

KATERINAHe’s asleep again.Oh Sergey, can you really sleep,when your lover’s lips are so close?Oh, Sergey, I’ll not fear anyone,I’ll make you my husband,I’ll not be afraid of anyone.Boris Timofeyich tried to interfereand he’s gone: dead, buried and forgotten,only I remember him at nights.His fearful face often appears before me.(The ghost of Boris appears.)There he is in the corner!

GHOST OF BORISKaterina Lvovna, you murderess!I’ve come to find outhow you and Sergey are keepingmy son’s bed warm.

SERGEYKaterína Lvovna, Kátenka,ya nye kak drugie próchie,kotórym vsyo bezrazlíchno,lish by sládkim zhénskim tyélom polákomitsa.Vyed’ ya delikátny,ya chústvuyu, shto takóe lyubóv.Akh, zachém ya tebyá polyubíl,k tebyé li lyubóvyu mnye pylát’,i rázve éto pochót dlya tebya,imenitoy kupchíkhi,moyéy polyubóvnitsey byt’?Akh, Kátya, ya b khotyél pyéred bógomstat’ tvoim suprúgom!A tak shto,i vidimsa my tól’ko nóchu,a pri sólnyshke boímsapokazát’sa lyúdyam na glazá.

EKATERINA LVOVNA3 Nye pechál’sa, Sergéy,

sdyélayu tebyá kuptsóm,i zhit’ s tobóy kak slyéduet stánu.

SERGEYKak zhe éto ty sdyélaesh?

EKATERINA LVOVNANye tvoyá zabóta.Tvoyó dyélo tselovát’ menyá krépko,vot tak.

EKATERINA LVOVNA4 Opyát usnúl.

Ekh, Sergéy, rázve mózhno spat’,kogdá lyúbyashchie gúby tak blízko?Akh, Sergéy, nikovó nye poboyús,sdyélayu tebyá svoim múzhem,nikovó nye ustrahús.Khotyél Boris Timoféyich pomeshát’,i nyet yevó: úmer, pokhorónen, zaby�t,tol’ko ya vspomináyu o nyom po nochám.Chásto yavlyáetsa on ko mnye stráshny.

Vot on v uglú.

GHOST OF BORIS TIMOFEYEVICHKaterína Lvóvna, ubíytsa!Ya prishól posmotryét’,kak ty s Sergéyem sogreváeshpostyél’ moevó sy�na.

42

KATERINAYes, I have.

ZINOVIYI see! Well, that’s fine then,but how did my dad die?

KATERINAWell, he just died; we gave him a good funeral.

ZINOVIYAnd why is the bedmade up for two?

KATERINAI was expecting you any time.

ZINOVIYThanks for that anyway.(noticing Sergey’s belt)And what might that thing be?

KATERINAWhere?

ZINOVIYHere!From what I can make out,it’s a man’s belt.

KATERINAI found it in the gardenand fastened my skirt with it.

ZINOVIYWe’ve been hearing some thingsabout your skirts,about your skirts.

KATERINAWhat have you heard then?

ZINOVIYWe’ve heard a lot about your affairs…

KATERINAWhat have you heard?

ZINOVIYWe’ve heard everything.

KATERINAWhat have you heard?

EKATERINA LVOVNADóma.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHTak! Khoroshó, nu ládno,kak zhe pápenka-to úmer?

EKATERINA LVOVNATak úmer, i pokhoroníli s chést’yu.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHA pochemú postyél’na dvoíkh prigotóvlena?

EKATERINA LVOVNAVas vsyo dozhidálas.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHI na tom spasíbo.

A éto shto za predmyét?

EKATERINA LVOVNAGdye?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHTut!Skól’ko mnye izvyéstno,eto muzhskóy poyasók.

EKATERINA LVOVNAV sadú nashlái yúbku im povyazála.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHMy kóe-shto slykhálio váshikh yúbkakh,o váshikh yúbkakh.

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto zhe vy slykháli?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHSlykháli my ob amúrakh váshikh mnógo…

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto slykháli?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHVsyo slykháli.

EKATERINA LVOVNAShto slykháli?

SERGEYYes, I can.

KATERINAHide somewhere,it’s Zinoviy Borisych, my husband.(Sergey whistles.)

SERGEYNow we’re really in the soup!

KATERINAHide quick, hide!(Sergey hides.)He’s listening at the door, the swine,just you wait!

ZINOVIY (outside the door)Katerina!

KATERINAWho’s there?

ZINOVIYOpen the door!

KATERINAI can’t make it out…Who’s there?

ZINOVIYIt’s me…

KATERINAWho?

ZINOVIYMe, can’t you hear?

KATERINAI can’t make it out.

ZINOVIYLook, it’s me, Zinoviy Borisovich.(Katerina opens the door. Enter Zinoviy.)And how are you getting on?

KATERINAI haven’t been going to any theatres,nor to any balls either.

ZINOVIY (noticing Sergey’s trousers)So you’ve been at home all the time?

SERGEYSly�shu.

EKATERINA LVOVNASpryáchsa gdnye-nibúd,eto Zinóviy Borísych, moy muzh.

SERGEYVot tebyé bábushka i Yúryev dyen!

EKATERINA LVOVNAPryáchsa, pryáchsa!

U dvyéri podslúshivaet, svóloch,nu, podozhdí!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICH7 Katerína!

EKATERINA LVOVNAKto tam?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHOtvoryáy!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye razberú…Kto tam?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHYa…

EKATERINA LVOVNAKto?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHYa, rázve nye slýshish?

EKATERINA LVOVNANye razberú.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHNu ya, Zinóviy Borísovich.

Kak zhivyóte, mózhete?

EKATERINA LVOVNAPo teátram nye khódim,po balám tózhe sámoe.

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHTak znáchit dóma vsyo sidyéli?

43

KATERINAOh! oh!Sergey, Sergey,he’s beating me!Come out and protect me!

ZINOVIYWho’s this Sergey?Who is it? Where is he?Who’s this Sergey?(Enter Sergey. Katerina rushes to him and kisses him.)

KATERINASergey, my dearest love!

ZINOVIYMurder! Come here, everybody!(He runs to the window.)

KATERINAYou won’t get away!(Katerina catches up with Zinoviy, pushes him to thefloor and begins to strangle him. Sergey runs up andholds Zinoviy on the floor. Zinoviy struggles.)

ZINOVIYI…knew it…all…

KATERINAHold him tighter, Sergey!

ZINOVIYYou swine! Help!Oh, they’re strangling me!(weakly)Get a priest…

SERGEYI’ll give you priest all right!(Sergey hits Zinoviy over the head with a heavy candlestick.)

KATERINAHe’s choking…(Zinoviy dies.)

SERGEYWell, that’s the end of that…

EKATERINA LVOVNAAy! Ay!Sergéy, Sergéy,byut menyá!Vykhodí, zashchití!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHKakóy Sergéy?Kto éto? Gdye?kakóy Sergéy?

EKATERINA LVOVNASergéy, lyubóv moyá!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHUbiváyut! Lyúdi, sudá!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye uydyósh!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHYa…vsyo…vsyo…

EKATERINA LVOVNADerzhí yevó, Seryózha, krépche!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHSvólochi, na pómoshch!Oy, dushát!

Popá…

SERGEYVot tebyé pop!

EKATERINA LVOVNAKhripít…

SERGEY8 Tepyér shabásh…

ZINOVIYWe’ve heard it all, we’ve heard it all,we’ve heard it all, just everything!

KATERINAI don’t like people talking to mein that insolent way.Kindly explainwhat “affairs” you’re talking about.You know absolutely nothing about it,I’m the one who knows it all.I won’t allow you or anyone elseto talk to me about my “affairs”.It’s not for you to judge me.Hands off, you disgusting, pathetic creature;I can’t even call you a husband,you’re as lifeless as a lump of wood,a feeble weakling and as cold as a fish.You disgust me.Ugh, you pathetic tradesman!

ZINOVIYLook here, Katerina,that’s very fine language coming from you,just like you’d read in books!What’s it all about?Where have you got such insolent manners from?There must be some truth in the rumourthat you’ve been unfaithful to me.Just you wait, Katerina,I’ll get to the bottom of it, never fear,just you wait, Katerina,I’ll get to the bottom of it and then I’ll give you sheer hell,absolute, sheer hell.I’ll beat the living daylights out of you.I am your husband before God and the Tsar.I am responsible for the family’s honour.I demand the truth!

KATERINAWhat good’ll that do you?

ZINOVIYI demand the truth!

KATERINAI don’t even want to talk to you,after all you’re nothing more than a pathetic tradesman,you’d never understand anything!(Zinoviy beats Katerina with the belt.)

ZINOVIYTake that, and that, and another!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHVsyo slykháli, vsyo slykháli,vsyo slykháli, vsyo, vsyo, vsyo!

EKATERINA LVOVNAYa nye lyublyú, kogdá so mnóyugovoryát nakhál’no.Obyasníte mnye vy,o kakíkh takíkh amúrakh govorite?Vy nichevó nye znáete sovsyém,a ya vsyo znáyu.Nye pozvólyu govorít’ so mnóyuo moíkh amúrakh vam i próchim,nye vam menyá sudít’,nye lyez protívny, zhálky:dázhe nye mogú skazát’ shto muzh,a prósto pyen, brevnó,khíly, sláby, kak rýba kholódny.Ty protíven mnye.Akh ty zhálky kúpchik!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHSmotri, Katerína,ból’no ty rechísta stála,govorísh, kak píshesh;shto takóe?Pochemú takíe náglyye zamáshki u tebyá?Nye dárom govoryát,shto izmeníla ty mnye.Pogodíte, Katerína,vsyo uznáyu, vsyo uznáyu,pogodíte, Katerína,vsyo uznáyu i nakazhú tebyáya zhestóko, ból’no,ból’no, ból’no, ból’no,ból’no vysekú tebyá.Ya muzh tvoy pyéred bógom i tsaryóm.Ya otvecháyu za chest’ semyí.Skazhi mnye právdu.

EKATERINA LVOVNADlya chevó?

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHSkazhí mnye právdu!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye khochú i govorít’ ya,vsyo ravnó vyed’ zhálky kúpchik,nichevó ty nye poymyósh!

ZINOVIY BORISOVICHNu-ka, nu-ka, poluchí!

44

Act 3

Scene 6(Katerina is standing near the cellar and gazing towardsit. Enter Sergey. Both are dressed in fine clothes.)

SERGEYWhy are you standing there?What are you staring at?

KATERINABut, Seryozha, Zinoviy Borisych is lying there,that’s where we buried him.

SERGEYNot so loud!

KATERINAWhen I think of itI feel afraid, Seryozha!

SERGEYDon’t be afraid of the dead,it’s the living you should fear.

KATERINAI know that.

SERGEYThen if you know it,what’s the point of standing there?People will notice.

KATERINAAll right.Seryozha, today’s our wedding day,it’s time to go to the church.Everything will be all right.

SERGEYIt’s time to go to the church.

KATERINALet’s go quickly,today is our dayand tomorrow and always.(Exit Katerina and Sergey. Enter the shabby peasant,drunk.)

Act 3

Scene 6

SERGEY9 Shto ty tut stoísh?

Shto smótrish?

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha, vyed’ tut lezhít Zinóviy Borísych,tut yevó my zakopáli.

SERGEYTíshe!

EKATERINA LVOVNAKak vspómnyu,stráshno mnye, Seryózha!

SERGEYMyórtvykh nye bóysa,strashís zhivy�kh.

EKATERINA LVOVNAZnáyu.

SERGEYA yésli znáesh,tak nyéchevo tut stoyát’,lyúdi zamyétyat.

EKATERINA LVOVNALádno.Seryózha, sevódnya svád’ba násha,porá nam v tsérkov.Vsyo búdet khoroshó.

SERGEYPorá nam v tsérkov.

EKATERINA LVOVNAYédem skoryéy,sevódnya nash dyeni závtra, i vsegdá.

KATERINATake him to the cellar.I’ll light the way.(Sergey lifts Zinoviy’s body on to his shoulders and car-ries it into the cellar. Katerina lights the way with a can-dle. When they come to the cellar, Sergey rolls awaysome stones and puts Zinoviy’s body in the hole.)

SERGEYLet’s have some light, Katya.

KATERINAHurry up, oh do hurry up!(Sergey replaces the stones.)

SERGEYJust finishing.That’s all…it’s done…

KATERINAKiss me, kiss me, kiss me.(They kiss.)

SERGEYKatya…

KATERINANow you are my husband.(Katerina and Sergey stand locked in an embrace.)

EKATERINA LVOVNANesi v pógreb.Ya búdu svetít’.

SERGEYSvetí, Kátya.

EKATERINA LVOVNASkoryéy, skoryéye.

SERGEYSeychás koncháyu.Vsyo…kónchil…

EKATERINA LVOVNATselúy, tselúy, tselúy menyá.

SERGEYKátya…

EKATERINA LVOVNATepyér ty moy muzh.

45

A corpse!The corpse of Zinoviy Borisovich,the corpse, the corpse of Zinoviy Borisovich.Oh! Oh!Get the police!(runs away in horror)

Interlude

Scene 7(At the police station. The sergeant and the policemen –20–24 men – are sitting around idly and despondently.)

SERGEANTThe police were formed, so we are told,when the Pharaohs ruled in days of old,how then in our enlightened civilisationcan men exist without a police station?

SERGEANT AND POLICEMENBut for all our applicationwe receive but tribulation,they pay us most unfairlyand good bribes are offered rarely.

SERGEANTWhere could we make the extra bob,if we didn’t fiddle on the job?

POLICEMENWhere could we make the extra bob,if we didn’t fiddle on the job?

SERGEANTSun and moon in turn give light,the stars they twinkle but at night.

POLICEMENHey!

SERGEANTBut a policeman’s always on the job,come rain or tempest, drought or fog.

SERGEANT AND POLICEMENBut for all our applicationwe receive but tribulation,they pay us most unfairlyand good bribes are offered rarely.

SERGEANTWhere could we make the extra bob,if we didn’t fiddle on the job?

Trup!Trup Zinóviya Borisovicha,trup, trup Zinóviya Borisovicha,ay! ay!V politsiyu!

11 Interlude

Scene 7

SERGEANT12 Sózdan politséysky byl vo vrémya onó,

dázhe u egiptyan by�li faraóny.Kak zhe v prosveshchónny ny�neshniy nash vyekzhit’ byez politséyskikh mózhet chelovyék?

SERGEANT AND POLICEMENNo za vsye svoí starániyavidim my odní stradániya,náshe zhálovanye skúdno,brat’ zhe vzyátki óchen trúdno.

SERGEANTGdye by, kak by pozhivítsanam by v mútnoy by, ekh! vodítse.

POLICEMENGdye by, kak by pozhivítsanam by v mútnoy by vodítse.

SERGEANTSónste i luná drug drúga zamenyáyut,zvyózdy dazhe tye nochámi lish siyáyut.

POLICEMENEkh!

SERGEANTA gorodovóy bessmyénno na postúv vyódro i nenást’e, v zásukhu i mglu.

SERGEANT AND POLICEMENNo za vsye svoí starániyavidim my odní stradániya,náshe zhálovanye skúdno,brat’ zhe vzyátki óchen trúdno.

SERGEANTGdye by, kak by pozhivítsanam by v mútnoy by, ekh, vodítse!

SHABBY PEASANTOnce a lady friend of minecrazy was on drinking wine, hic!Then I had a kindly mate,wine and vodka he drank straight, hic!And as for my godfather dear,his only interest was in beer, hic!Hic! Hic! Hic!That whole family of minecouldn’t last a day without good wine, hic!Why should they then outstrip me?I drink vodka enough for three, hic! hic!I can drink the whole day through,nights and days and evenings too,summer, spring and winter deep,drink until I fall asleep, hic!I shall drink for evermore,I’m a jolly sort, for sure, hic!Hic! Hic! Hic!Singing’s fine when there’s something to drink,but when there’s nothing to drink,then there’s nothing to sing about.And why is there nothing to drink?Because I’m broke.I’ve got an unlucky star,other people have got lucky stars.That Sergey – he had absolutely nothingand now he can swim in vodka.Why did she choose Sergey for her husbandand not me?What’s he got that I haven’t?Arms, legs, head, belly – all in the right place.I’ve just got an unlucky star.I like to have a good swig!Here’s the cellar,the mistress often stands near itand keeps on staring, just staring…Must be some good wine in there…She stares and stares and stares…Well, I’ll just have a look.Ah, there must really be some good wines in there!(He breaks the lock and enters the cellar, then quicklyruns out again, holding his nose.)Ugh, what a pong!Ugh, ugh, ugh! What a pong!What a frightful, frightful pong!What could cause such a pong?Has all the food gone bad?(goes into the cellar again)I’ll have a look…God, what a pong!Oh!(Noticing Zinoviy’s body in the cellar, the shabby peas-ant runs out in horror.)

SHABBY PEASANT10 U menyá bylá kumá,

pit’ lyubíla byez umá, ukh!U menyá byl mily svat,na vinó i vódku, khvat, ukh!Kryóstny bátya tózhe byl,khoroshó pokóynik pil, ukh!Ukh! Ukh! Ukh!…Byez viná moyá rodnyánye moglá prozhit i dnya, ukh!Nu, a chem ya khúzhe ikh?Dúyu vódku za troikh, ukh! ukh!Nachináyu pit’ s utrá,nóchi, dni i vecherá,zimu, lýeto i vesnú,p’yu pokúda nye zasnú, ukh!Búdu pit’ ya tsély vyek,ya dushévny chelovyék. Ukh!Ukh! Ukh! Ukh!…Khoroshó pyet’, kogdá yest’ shto pit’,a kogdá nyéchevo pit’,togdá, nyéchevo pyet’.A pochemú nyéchevo pit’?Potomú shto dyéneg nyet.Planida u menyá takáya,a u drugóvo byváet planida khoróshaya.Vot Sergéy tózhe byl gol i nishch,a tepyér mózhet v vódke kupát’sa.Pochemú nye menyá, a Sergéyav muzhyá sebye beryót?A chem ya khúzhe?Rúki, nógi, golová, zhivót, vsyo na myéste,vot tólko planidy nyet.Zheláyu vypit’!Pógreb zdyes,a khozyáyka chásto stoit ókolo pógreba,i smótrit, smótrit…Dolzhnó byt’, v nyom khoróshie vina…Smótrit, smótrit, smótrit…Posmotryú i ya.Ukh, kakíe tam navyérnoe yest’ vina!

Oy, kakáya von!Oy, oy, oy! kakáya von!Vonyáyut, vonyáyut, vonyáyut!Shto zhe éto tak vonyáet?Neuzhéli vsye zakúsky protúkhli?

Posmotryú…Bózhe, kakáya von!Ay!

46

POLICEMENA! I! O! U! Y!Ho, ho, ho!

SERGEANTHo, ho, ho!

POLICEMANHe says, your honour, he doesn’t believe in God.

TEACHERGod does…exist…

SERGEANT(to the teacher)Shut up!

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

POLICEMANAnd he talks about frogs…

SERGEANTWhat frogs?

TEACHERI started wonderingwhy only man should possess a souland why frogs shouldn’t have one too.So I took a frog and examined it.

SERGEANTWell?

TEACHERIt has a soul,only a very small one and it’s not immortal…

SERGEANTLock him up!

TEACHERSorry, God does exist, God does exist!

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!(The policemen take the teacher away and thenreturn.)

POLICEMENA! I! O! U! Y!Ho, ho, ho!

SERGEANTHo, ho, ho!

POLICEMANOn v bóga, váshe blagoródie, nye vyéruet.

TEACHERBog-to…yest’…

SERGEANT

Molchát!

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

POLICEMANI pro lyagúshek…

SERGEANTKakikh lyagúshek?

TEACHERStal ya dúmat’,tóchno odín chelovyék obladáet dushóy,nyet li yeyó u lyagúshek.Vzyal lyagúshku, isslyédoval.

SERGEANTNu?

TEACHERI yest’ dushá,tókma málaya i nye bessmyértnaya…

SERGEANTVzyat’!

TEACHERProstíte, yest’ bog, yest’ bog.

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

POLICEMENWhere could we make the extra bob,if we didn’t fiddle on the job?

SERGEANTThat’s why a sergeant vigil keeps all nightand why his aspect is a dreadful sight,to cause in nihilists fear and agitation,preserving peace and quiet for the nation.But for all our applicationwe receive but tribulation,they pay us most unfairlyand good bribes are offered rarely!

POLICEMENHey! And for all, hey, our, hey, application, hey,hey, we receive, hey, but, hey, tribulation, hey!Hey! They pay us, hey, hey, most unfairly, hey,and good, hey, bribes, hey, hey, are offered, hey,rarely!

SERGEANTWhere could we make the extra bob,if we didn’t fiddle on the job?

POLICEMENWhere could we make the extra bob,if we didn’t fiddle on the job?

SERGEANTThere’s a real feast now at the Ismailov’s,that hussy’s getting marriedand she hasn’t invited me.I’ll get even with her,for getting married without the authorities.I’ll get even with her,for getting married without the authorities.

POLICEMENThat’s right, we’ll all get even with her!

SERGEANTIf only we had a pretext,although a pretext can always be found.

POLICEMENThat’s right, one can always be found.(A policeman enters leading a teacher. The teacherlooks scared. The policeman and the sergeant jump totheir feet and start looking interested.)

POLICEMANI’ve caught a socialist.

POLICEMENGdye by, kak by pozhivítsanam by v mútnoy by vodítse!

SERGEANTDlya tovó kvartál’ny bódrstvuet nochámi,dlya tovó povódit gróznymi ochámi,shtob na nigilístov strákhu nagonyát’,shtóby blagopristóynost’ vsyúdu sokhranyát’,i za vsye svoi starániyavídim my odni stradániya,náshe zhálovanye skúdno,brat’ zhe vzyátki óchen trúdno!

POLICEMENEkh! za vsye, ekh, svoi, ekh, starániya, ekh,ekh, vídim, ekh, my odní, ekh, stradániya, ekh!Ekh! Náshe zhálovanye ekh, ekh, skúdno, ekh,brat’ zhe, ekh, vzyátki, ekh ekh, óchen, ekh,trúdno!

SERGEANTGdye by, kak by pozhivítsanam by v mútnoy by, ekh, vodítse!

POLICEMENGdye by, kak by pozhivítsanam by v mútnoy by vodítse!

SERGEANT13 U Izmaýlovoy seychás pir goróy,

vencháetsa pódlaya,a menyá nye priglasíla.Ya yey pripómnyu,kak byez nachál’stva venchátsa.Ya yey pripómnyu,kak byez nachál’stva venchátsa.

POLICEMENTak tóchno, my vsye pripómnim!

SERGEANTBylá by tól’ko prichína,khotyá prichína vsyegdá naydyótsa.

POLICEMENTak tóchno, vsyegdá naydyótsa.

POLICEMANYa sotsialísta poymál.

47

POLICEMENHurry, hurry, hurry, hurry,then we’ll have no cause to worry,won’t get blamed for inattentionin a serious situation!

SERGEANTQuicker, quicker, quicker, quicker,we might get free food and liquor,stuff ourselves until we’re sick,so we’ll hurry, hurry quick!

POLICEMENQuicker, quicker, quicker, quicker,we might get free food and liquor,stuff ourselves until we’re sick,so we’ll hurry, hurry quick!

Interlude

Scene 8(In the garden the tables are set out to form three sidesof a rectangle; the guests, already drunk, are celebratingthe wedding of Katerina and Sergey. The bridal pair arein the centre. The feast is coming to an end. Nearby isthe cellar, where Zinoviy’s body lies. Katerina is veryrestless and on edge. The guests are toasting the bridalpair.)

GUESTSLong live the happy pair,Katerina and Sergey, long life to you!Long live the happy pair,may they live long in love and harmony!Long live the happy pair,Katerina and Sergey, long life to you!We wish you health and happinessand a life of harmony.Long life!

PRIESTGive her a kiss! Give her a kiss!

GUESTSGive her a kiss! Give her a kiss!(Katerina and Sergey kiss.)

GUESTSHa, ha, ha!…

PRIESTThat’s fine! Kiss her again!

GUESTSGive her a kiss! Give her a kiss!(They kiss again.)

POLICEMENSkóro, skóro, skóro, skóro,shtóby nye by�lo ukóra,v potakányi, v neradyényi,v bespolyéznom promedlyényi!

SERGEANTZhívo, zhívo, zhívo, zhívo,tam predvíditsa nazhíva,vsye my mózhem podkormítsa,búdem, búdem toropítsa!

POLICEMENZhívo, zhívo, zhívo, zhívo,tam predvíditsa nazhíva,vsye my smózhem podkormítsa,búdem, búdem toropítsa!

15 Interlude

Scene 8

GUESTS16 Sláva suprúgam,

Katerine Lvóvne i Sergéyu Filíppychu, sláva!Sláva suprúgam,suprúgam sláva, sovyét da lyubóv!Sláva suprúgam,Katerine Lvóvne i Sergéyu Filíppychu, sláva!Zheláem vam dobrá i schást’yei soglásnoy zhízni,sláva.

PRIESTGórko! Górko!

GUESTSGórko! Górko!

GUESTSHa, ha, ha!…

PRIESTKhoroshó! Górko!

GUESTSGórko! Górko!

SERGEANTThat’s that.(Silence again and an air of boredom.)The police were formed, so we are told…But there’s a real feast now at the Ismailov’s.

POLICEMENAh!

SERGEANTThat’s where we’d get something good,only we’ve no excuse for going! Ah!(Enter shabby peasant.)

SHABBY PEASANTYour honour!

SERGEANTWhat do you want?

SHABBY PEASANTSomething’s happened…

SERGEANTWhat’s happened?

SHABBY PEASANTAt the Ismailov’s…

SERGEANTAt the Ismailov’s? Ho, ho!

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

SHABBY PEASANTThere’s a corpse in the cellar…

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!(The policemen and the sergeant get up and cheerfullyset off.)

SERGEANTWhat a godsend!

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

SERGEANTHurry, hurry, hurry, hurry,then we’ll have no cause to worry,won’t get blamed for inattentionin a serious situation!

SERGEANTTo-to.

Sózdan politséysky byl vo vrémya onó…A u Izmáylovoy-to pir goróyu.

POLICEMENEkh!

SERGEANTVot gdye by bylá pozhiva khoróshya,vot tól’ko nyétu prichíny. Ekh!

SHABBY PEASANT14 Váshe blagorodie!

SERGEANTChevó tebyé?

SHABBY PEASANTSluchílos…

SERGEANTShto sluchílos?

SHABBY PEASANTU Izmáylovykh…

SERGEANTU Izmáylovykh? Ho, ho!

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

SHABBY PEASANTTrup v pógrebe…

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

SERGEANTPrislál gospód’!

POLICEMENHo, ho, ho!

SERGEANTSkóro, skóro, skóro, skóro,shtóby nye by�lo ukóra,v potakányi, v neradyényi,v bespolyéznom promedlyényi!

48

PRIESTGive her a kiss!

SERGEYWhat’s the matter?

GUESTSHe, he, he!

KATERINAThe lock’s broken.

SERGEYWell?

KATERINAThat’s where Zinoviy is,look, it’s terrifying. Oh!When they all go homewe’ll make a run for it!

SERGEYIt can’t be.It’s true, it’s broken;hush, hush.

PRIESTWho is fairer than the sun in the sky.Who is fairer…Where are the happy pair,having it off together?Bit early isn’t it, it’s not yet night, he, he, he!

GUESTSLong life!

KATERINA (to the guests)Help yourselves, please.

GUESTSKaterina Lvovna is fairer than the sun in the sky!(They fall asleep.)

PRIESTWho is fairer than the sun in the sky, eh?

DRUNKEN GUESTGive her a kiss!(The guests are asleep. Katerina and Sergey are veryagitated.)

KATERINASergey, we must escape,someone’s broken the lock,they must have seen the body there.

PRIESTGórko!

SERGEY17 Shto takóe?

GUESTSHe, he, he!

EKATERINA LVOVNAZamók sórvan.

SERGEYNu?

EKATERINA LVOVNATam Zinóviy Borísych,smotrí, stráshno. Oy!Kogdá uydút,my ubezhím, spasyómsa!

SERGEYNye mózhet byt’,vyérno, slóman;tishe, tishe.

PRIESTKto kráshe sóntsa v nyébe,kto kráshe…Gdye zhe suprúgi,shumúkayutsa?Ráno, yeshchó nye noch, he, he, he!

GUESTSSláva!

EKATERINA LVOVNAKúshayte, proshú vas.

GUESTSKaterína Lvóvna kráshe sóntsa v nyébe!

PRIESTKto kráshe sóntsa v nyébe, a?

DRUNKEN GUESTGórko!

EKATERINA LVOVNASergéy, nádo bezhát’,kto-to vzlomál zamók,navyérnoe videl tam trup.

KATERINADear friends,help yourselves, please!

GUESTSThank you, thank you.

PRIESTWho is fairer than the sun in the sky,who is fairer than the sun in the sky?Eh!

GUESTSIs there none fairer than the sun in the sky,is there none fairer than the sun in the sky?Yes there is!

PRIESTIndeed there is!Indeed there is one fairer than the sun in the sky,there is! There is!Indeed there is one fairer than the sun in the sky!Who is it?

GUESTSWe know of none fairer than the sun in the sky,we know of none fairer than the sun in the sky!

PRIESTKaterina Lvovna is fairer than the sun in the sky,mm…ah…really lovely!Mm…her hand…Give her a kiss!

GUESTSGive her a kiss, give her a kiss!

PRIESTHe, he, he!…Have they gone all shy?

GUESTSHe, he, he!(The guests are drunk and almost asleep.)Long live Katerina Lvovna,she’s fairer than the sun in the sky, long may she live!

PRIESTGive her a kiss!(Katerina notices that the lock on the cellar door is bro-ken.)

KATERINAOh!

EKATERINA LVOVNAGósti dorogíe,kúshayte, proshú vas!

GUESTSSpasíbo, spasíbo.

PRIESTKto kráshe sóntsa v nyébe,kto kráshe sóntsa v nyébe?A?

GUESTSNikovó nyet kráshe sóntsa v nyébe,nikovó nyet kráshe sóntsa v nyébe?Da!

PRIESTAn yest’!An yest’ kráshe sóntsa v nyébe!Yest’! Yest’!An, yest’ kráshe sóntsa v nyébe!Kto?

GUESTSMy nye znáem kráshe sóntsa v nyébe,my nye znáem kráshe sóntsa v nyébe nikovó!

PRIESTKaterína Lvóvna kráshe sóntsa v nyébe,mm…e…vesmá prelyéstna!Mm…rúchku…Górko!

GUESTSGórko, górko!

PRIESTHe, he, he!…Zastydílis?

GUESTSHe, he, he!

Katerína Lvóvna sláva,shto kráshe sóntsa v nyébe, sláva!

PRIESTGórko!

EKATERINA LVOVNAAkh!

49

SERGEYA kak zhe khozyáystvo?Torgóvlya?

EKATERINA LVOVNABrósit’ vsyo pridyótsa.Vozmyóm vsye dyéngi,na náshu zhizn khvátit,mózhet byt’ uspyéyem.Idí za dengámi skoryéy,nel’zyá myédlit’ ni minúty!

Nu gdye zh on? Gdye zh on?

SERGEYIdú, idú!

EKATERINA LVOVNA18 Shto takóe?

Pózdno!…Akh, Sergéy, pogíbli my…

SERGEYPochemú pogíbli, bezhím!

EKATERINA LVOVNANyékuda!

SERGEYKto tam?

POLICEMENPolitsiya!

SERGEANTZdrástvuyte!

EKATERINA LVOVNAZdrástvuyte!

SERGEANTVy nas nye priglasíli,pobryézgovali?A vot my sámi prishlí!Dyél’tse vy�shlo odnó!Da, gostyéy-to skól’ko!Viná, nebós, mnógo výpito!Da? Dyél’tse takovo róda,da odnim slóvom, dyél’tse!

SERGEYWhat about the household?And the business?

KATERINAWe’ll have to drop everything.Let’s take all the money,it’ll be enough for us to live on;we might just have time.Go and get the money quickly,there’s not a moment to lose!(Sergey runs into the house.)Oh, where’s he got to, where’s he got to?

SERGEYComing, coming!(Sergey returns. Katerina hears footsteps and sees thepolicemen approaching, led by the sergeant. Katerina isdistraught and rushes about the stage trying to escape.)

KATERINAWhat’s this?It’s too late…Oh, Sergey, we’re done for…

SERGEYWhat do you mean, done for? Let’s run for it!

KATERINAWherever to?(A knock is heard at the gate.)

SERGEYWho’s there?

POLICEMENThe police!(The gate opens. Enter the police.)

SERGEANTHow do you do?

KATERINA (outwardly calm)How do you do?

SERGEANTYou didn’t invite us,aren’t we good enough for you?But here we are anyway!A little matter has arisen!So, what a lot of guests!Looks as if a lot of wine’s been drunk!Hasn’t it? There’s a little matter of a certain kind,to put it bluntly, there’s a little matter!(Katerina embraces Sergey.)

EKATERINA LVOVNANye tyanite, nye tyanite,vyazhite, vyazhite,akh, Sergéy, prostí,prostí menyá Seryózha!Seryózha!

SERGEANTA nu, daváy, zavyázyvay! Zhivo!

SERGEYPustí, svóloch!

POLICEMENDerzhí, derzhi¸derzhí, derzhí!

SERGEYPustí! Pustí! Pustí!

SERGEANTVryosh! Nye uydyósh!Nye uydyósh!Raz! Raz! Raz! Raz!

POLICEMENVryosh! Ha, ha, ha!…Tak yevó! Tak yevó! Tak yevó!Tak yevó! Tak yevó! Tak yevó!

EKATERINA LVOVNANye smyey!Mye smyey!

SERGEANTKrépche derzhíte!Vedíte v ostróg!

EKATERINA LVOVNAAkh, Sergéy, prostí menyá,prostí.

KATERINADon’t keep beating about the bush,put the handcuffs on, then!Oh, Sergey, forgive me,forgive me, Seryozha!Seryozha!(She holds out her hands to the policemen. They handcuff her.)

SERGEANTGet the handcuffs on! Look sharp!(Sergey tried to escape.)

SERGEYLet me go, you swine!

POLICEMENGet him, get him, get him, get him!(They immediately get hold of him. He resists and theybeat him. Katerina in handcuffs rushes to defend Sergey.They are both securely handcuffed.)

SERGEYLet me go! Let me go! Let me go!

SERGEANTNo you don’t! You won’t get away!You won’t get away!Take that, and that, and that, and that!

POLICEMENNo you don’t! Ha, ha, ha!…That’s what he needs, just what he needs!That’s what he needs, just what he needs!

KATERINADon’t you dare!Don’t you dare!

SERGEANTKeep a tight hold of him!Off to prison with him!(He is led away.)

KATERINAOh, Sergey, forgive me,forgive me.

50

Act 4

Scene 8

OLD CONVICT19 Vyórsty odná za drugóy

dlínnoy polzút verenítsey,spal utomítel’ny znoy,Sóntse za stepí sadítsa.Ekh, ty, put’, tsepyámi vskópanny,put’ v Sibír, kost’mi zasyéyanny,pótom, króvyu put’ tot vspóenny,smyértnym stónom put’ ovyéyanny!Akh!

CONVICTSEkh, ty put’, tsepyámi vskópanny,put’ v Sibír, kost’mi zasyéyanny,pótom, króvyu put’ tot vspóenny,smyértnym stónom put’ ovyéyanny!

OLD CONVICTNoch otdokhnyóm i opyát’,s pyérvymi sóntsa luchámi,búdem my vyórsty schitát’,myérno zvenyá kandalámi.Ekh, vy stepi neob’yátnyye,dni i nóchi beskonyéchnyye,náshi dúmy bezotrádnyyei zhandármy besserdyéchnyye.

CONVICTSEy vy, stepí neob’yátnyye,dni i nóchi beskonyéchnyye,náshi dúmy bezotrádnyyei zhandármy besserdyéchnyye!

EKATERINA LVOVNA20 Stepánych! Propustí menyá,

vot dvugrivenny, vódki kúpish,Stepánych!

SENTRYOy báby! Oy, báby!Bludlívy naród!Nu, uzh ládno, stupáy!

EKATERINA LVOVNASpasíbo!

Seryózha! Khoróshy moy!

Nakonyéts-to!Vyed’ tsély dyen s tobóy nye vídelas.Seryózha!í bol’ v nogákh proshlá,i ustálost’, i góre…Vsyo zaby�los,raz ty so mnóyu,Seryózha, Seryózha!

SERGEYA grekh tózhe zaby�la?

EKATERINA LVOVNAKakóy grekh, Seryózha?

SERGEYA kto do kátorgi menyá dovyól,zaby�la?

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha!

SERGEYOtoydí!

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha!Akh, prostí menyá, Seryózha.

SERGEYUdyí, ty zhizn moyú sgubíla!Uydi!

EKATERINA LVOVNAAkh, prostí menyá,prostí menyá, Seryózha!Bózhe moy, kakáya múka,Seryózha!

SERGEYTózhe kupchíkha!Prósto svóloch.

Act 4

Scene 8(It is evening. The convicts are settling down for thenight. The women are separated from the men. Amongstthe women are Katerina and a pretty young convictcalled Sonyetka. Amongst the men is Sergey. All the convicts are in fetters. Sentries are posted everywhere.)

OLD CONVICTVerst after verst, one by one,creeps by in an endless procession,the heat of the day now is done,the sun on the steppes is now setting.Ah, road, where the chains have been dragging,where bones of the dead are still lying,where blood and sweat have been flowing,to the echoes of groans of the dying!Ah!

CONVICTSAh, road, where the chains have been dragging,where bones of the dead are still lying,where blood and sweat have been flowing,to the echoes of groans of the dying!

OLD CONVICTWe shall rest when the day’s work is done,but the first rays of sunrise will find uscounting the versts one by one,our fetters still clanging behind us.Ah, steppes, you are so endless,days and nights so countless,the thoughts we think so cheerlessand the guards we have so heartless!

CONVICTSAh, steppes, you are so endless,days and nights so countless,the thoughts we think so cheerlessand the guards we have so heartless!(Katerina goes up to the sentry who is separating thewomen from the men.)

KATERINAStepanych! Let me go through,here’s twenty kopecks to buy some vodka,Stepanych!

SENTRYOh, women! Women!What a lecherous lot!Oh well, all right then, go along!

KATERINAThank you!(She makes her way over to Sergey.)Seryozha! My dearest!(She snuggles up to Sergey. Sergey maintains a sullensilence.)At last!I’ve gone the whole day without seeing you.Seryozha!Even the pain in my legs has goneand the tiredness and the anguish…Everything’s forgotten,once I’m with you,Seryozha, Seryozha!

SERGEYHave you also forgotten the wrong you’ve done?

KATERINAWhat wrong, Seryozha?

SERGEYWhose fault is it I’m a convict,have you forgotten?

KATERINASeryozha!

SERGEYGet away!

KATERINASeryozha,oh, forgive me, Seryozha.

SERGEYGet out, you’ve ruined my life!Get out!

KATERINAOh, forgive me,forgive me, Seryozha!O God, what torment,Seryozha!

SERGEYFine sort of merchant’s wife!You’re just a hussy.(Katerina returns to her place.)

51

SONYETKAAnd what is that desire?

SERGEYYou must know what it is!

SONYETKAWhat a cheeky fellow you are,run off to that rich merchant’s wife of yours!

SERGEYI’m sick of her, I’m sick of her,I’m absolutely sick of her!

SONYETKAWhy did you carry on with her then?

SERGEYFor what I could get out of it!

SONYETKADo you think I’ll give you what you wantjust to please you?Well, you’ve got it wrong!(She gets up and makes as if to leave.)

SERGEYWait, Sonyetka!

SONYETKAWell, I can’t make out what you want!(Sergey embraces Sonyetka. Sonyetka resists.)

SERGEYI love you, I love you!I love you, love you,I love you!

SONYETKAProve it then!

SERGEYWhat do you want me to do?(Sonyetka shows Sergey her torn stockings. Sergey seizesher legs, but Sonyetka puts a stop to hisadvances with a slap on the cheek.)

SONYETKACan’t you see?My stockings are tornand I’m cold.Get me some others!

EKATERINA LVOVNA21 Nye lekhkó pósle pochóta da poklónov

pyéred sudóm stoyát’!Nye lekhkó pósle rádostey i laskspínu pod plyéti palachá podstavlyát’.Nye lekhkó pósle perín pukhóvykhna zemlyé kholódnoy spat’.Nye lekhkó pósle nyégi i pokóyaty�syachi vyorst shagát’,nye lekhkó, nye lekhkó!No nyet síly vy�terpet’ izmyény Sergéya,videt’ v kázhkom yevó vzglyáde nyénavist’,chúyat’ v kázhdom slóve prezrénye.Vot étovo nye mogú ya vy�terpet’.

SERGEY22 Moyó pochtyénye!

SONYETKAI kak ty éto vsyúdu pospeváesh?

SERGEYChetverták únteru ya dal.

SONYETKAI gdye ty stól’ko beryósh chetvertakóv?

SERGEYU kupchíkhi.

SONYETKAU kupchíkhi.Nu i dúra, tvoyá kupchikha!

SERGEYIzvyéstno, dúra, dúra.

SONYETKADúra.

SERGEYDúra!

SONYETKA and SERGEYHa, ha, ha!…

SERGEYSonyétochka moyá,zheláyu ya tebyá poprosít’dostávit mnye rádost’ zhízni!

SONYETKAKakúyu éto rádost’?

SERGEYIzvyéstno, kakúyu!

SONYETKAKakóy prýtky,idí k svoyéy kupchikhe!

SERGEYOprotívela oná, oprotívela oná,oprotívela oná mnye stráshno!

SONYETKAChevó zh ty khorokhórilsa s nyey?

SERGEYIz korýsti!

SONYETKAA dúmaesh, ya rádostidárom shto li búdu dostaylyát?Obchólsa!

SERGEYStoy, Sonyétka!

SONYETKANu vot, to lozhís, to stoy!

SERGEYLyublyú tebyá, lyublyú tebyá!Lyublyú, lyublyú tebyá,lyublyú!

SONYETKADokazhí, shto lyúbish!

SERGEYShto ty khóchesh ot menyá?

SONYETKAVídish?Chulkí porvális,khólodno mnye,dostán chulkí!

KATERINAIt’s hard when you’re used to honour and respectto stand before a judge!It’s hard after endearments and caressesto feel the whip on your back.It’s hard after the luxury of feather bedsto have to sleep on the frozen ground.It’s hard after luxury and peaceto trudge for thousands of versts,it’s hard, it’s hard!But I’ve no strength to bear Sergey’s betrayal,to see in his every glance his hatred of me,to sense in every word his disdain.That’s what I cannot bear.(Sergey makes his way towards Sonyetka and wakens her.)

SERGEYGreetings!

SONYETKAHow do you manage to get around everywhere?

SERGEYI gave the sentry 25 kopecks.

SONYETKAAnd where do you get so much money from?

SERGEYFrom my rich merchant’s wife.

SONYETKAYour rich merchant’s wife?Then she’s a fool, that rich merchant’s wife of yours!

SERGEYYes, she’s a fool, for sure.

SONYETKAWhat a fool!

SERGEYYes, what a fool!

SONYETKA AND SERGEYHa, ha, ha…

SERGEYSonyetka my darling,I want to ask youto grant me my heart’s desire!

52

SERGEYNo gdye zhe?

SONYETKAU kupchikhi.

SERGEYVyérno!

23 Ládno dostánu!

Kátya!

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha, prishól?

SERGEYKátya, nye serdís ty na menyá,prostí.

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha,Seryózha, vyed’ ty odín u menyá,moyá rádost’,ay ty…a ty oskorbíl menyá zhestóko,Seryózha!

SERGEYKátya, prostí,tyazheló mnye…Poslyédniye rasy�’ s tobóyya vizhus.

EKATERINA LVOVNAPochemú? Seryózha?

SERGEYDo góroda doydú,v bol’nítsu slyágu,kandalámi nógu natyór,bol’ nesterpímaya.

EKATERINA LVOVNAKak zhe tak?Shtozh ya byez tebyá búdu dyélat’?Vyed’ menyá dál’she pogónyat!

SERGEYPogónyat!Nye mogú ya dál’she idtí,ból’no!

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha, nye mogú ya byez tebyáni minúty byt’,shto dyélat’?Ya nye mogú, ya nye mogú, Seryózha.Nye pokidáy menyá!

SERGEYVot yésli gdye-nibúd’sherstyany�ye chulkí dostát’,pomogló b navyérno!

EKATERINA LVOVNAChulkí?Shto zhe ty ránshe molchál? Seryózha?Na chulkí, vozmí chulkí!

SERGEYAkh, Kátya,spasíbo, rádost’ ty moyá!

EKATERINA LVOVNAVot, vozmí.

SERGEYNu, ya seychás pridú!

EKATERINA LVOVNAKudá ty?

SERGEYSeychás pridú.

EKATERINA LVOVNASeryózha, Seryózha!Zachém on ushól?

SERGEY24 Na chulkí!

Idyóm,tepyér ty moyá!

SONYETKAIsh, zvyer!

SERGEYWherever from?

SONYETKAFrom your rich merchant’s wife.

SERGEYOf course!All right, I’ll get some!(He makes his way towards Katerina.)Katya!

KATERINASeryozha, so you’ve come?

SERGEYKatya, don’t be angry,forgive me.

KATERINASeryozha,Seryozha, you’re all I have, you know,my love,and you…you’ve hurt me cruelly,Seryozha!

SERGEYKatya, forgive me,I’m in a bad way…This is the last timewe’ll see each other.

KATERINAWhy? Seryozha?

SERGEYI’m going to townto the hospital,the fetters have rubbed my leg so sore,the pain’s intolerable.

KATERINABut you can’t!What shall I do without you?They’re sure to torment me even more!

SERGEYThey will!But I can’t go on any longer,it hurts so!

KATERINASeryozha, I can’t exist even a minutewithout you,what am I to do?I can’t, I can’t, Seryozha,don’t leave me!

SERGEYIf only I could get holdof some woollen stockings from somewhere,that would certainly help!

KATERINAStockings?Why didn’t you say so before, Seryozha?Here are some stockings, take them!(takes off her stockings)

SERGEYOh, Katya,thank you, my dearest!

KATERINA (gives Sergey her stockings)Here, take them.

SERGEYWell, I’ll be back in a moment!(He takes the stockings and quickly goes towardsSonyetka.)

KATERINAWhere are you going?

SERGEYI’ll be back in a moment.

KATERINASeryozha, Seryozha!Why has he gone off?

SERGEY (to Sonyetka)Here are some stockings!Come on,now you are mine!(He takes Sonyetka in his arms and carries her off thestage.)

SONYETKA (enraptured)Oh, you are a brute!(Katerina, noticing what is going on, rushes after Sergey,but she is restrained by the women convicts, who startmocking her.)

53

EKATERINA LVOVNASergéy, Sergéy, shto éto?Chulkí Sonyétke?Sergéy! Sergéy!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

WOMAN CONVICTU kupchíkhi zhar i pylyeschó klokóchut.A lyubóvnichek ostýl,on i znat’ yeyó nye khóchet!

WOMEN CONVICTSA lyubóvnik uzh ostýl,on i znat’ yeyó nye khóchet.Ha, ha, ha!…

WOMAN CONVICTNichevó nye stálo bóle:poteryála svoí rádosti na vóle!A v nevóle zhenikhá!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…Poteryála svoí rádosti na vóle!A v nevóle zhenikhá!

WOMAN CONVICTKaterína Lvóvna,natvoríla ty delóv!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

WOMAN CONVICTByez Sergéya Kateríne óchen skúshno!

WOMEN CONVICTSKupchíkha byez Sergéya propadyót,byez Sergéya propadyót.

WOMAN CONVICTOtdáy, otdáy, otdáy chúlochki nam!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…Otdáy chúlochki nam!

EKATERINA LVOVNAAkh! Pustíte!

KATERINASergey, Sergey, what does this mean?Are the stockings for Sonyetka?Sergey! Sergey!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

WOMAN CONVICTThe merchant’s wife with passionate firestill is burning.But cold is now her lover’s desire,to know her he has no yearning!

WOMEN CONVICTSBut cold is now her lover’s desire,to know her he has no yearning.Ha, ha, ha!…

WOMAN CONVICTNothing more to her is left:of her joys in freedom was she bereft!And in bondage of her bridegroom too!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…Of her joys in freedom was she bereft!And in bondage of her bridegroom too!

WOMAN CONVICTKaterina Lvovna,what a mess you’ve made of things!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

WOMAN CONVICTIt’ll be dull for Katerina without Sergey!

WOMEN CONVICTSThe merchant’s wife will be lost without Sergey,will be lost without Sergey.

WOMAN CONVICTGive the stockings to us, give them to us!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…Give the stockings to us!

KATERINAAh! Let me go!(She keeps trying to break through the women convicts.)

WOMAN CONVICTNi odnú nye spítsa nóchku…Nepriyátno v odinóchku,nepriyátno byez Sergéya!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

EKATERINA LVOVNAAkh! Akh!

ALL WOMEN CONVICTSByez Sergéya Kateríne óchen skúshno,byez Sergeya Kateríne óchen skúshno,byez Sergéya Kateríne óchen skúshno,byez Sergéya.

SENTRYSmírno! Smírno!Chevó oryóte?

WOMAN CONVICT

Tam…tam…Sergéy, Sonyétka.

SENTRYMolchát’! Ya vas!

Nu!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

SENTRYNu i nu!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

WOMAN CONVICTNot one night can she sleep alone…It is unpleasant on her own,it is unpleasant without Sergey!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

KATERINAAh! Ah!

ALL WOMEN CONVICTSIt’ll be dull for Katerina without Sergey,it’ll be dull for Katerina without Sergey,it’ll be dull for Katerina without Sergey,without Sergey.(At the noise the sentry comes running. He restoresorder.)

SENTRYAttention! Attention!What are you yelling for?

WOMAN CONVICT (points out to the sentry whereSonyetka and Sergey have gone)There…there…Sergey, Sonyetka.

SENTRYShut up! I’ll do you!(looks and shakes his head)Well!(Katerina escapes from the ring of women convicts andruns on to the stage.)

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…

SENTRYWell I never!

WOMEN CONVICTSHa, ha, ha!…(Katerina stands motionless in an attitude of utterdespair, then in horror runs to the front of the stage.She stands still in utter despair.)

54

EKATERINA LVOVNA25 V lesú, v sámoy cháshche yest’ ózero,

sovsyém krúgloe, óchen glubókoe,i vodá v nyom chórnaya,kak moyá sóvest’, chórnaya.I kogdá vyéter khódit v lesú,na ózere podnimáyutsa vólny,bol’shíe vólny, togdá stráshno;a ósenyu v ózere vsegdá vólny,chórnaya vodá i bol’shíe vólny.Chórnyye bol’shíe vólny.

SERGEY26 Znáesh li, Sonyétka,

na kovó s tobóy my pokhózhi?Na Adáma i na Evu.

SONYETKANo na ray zdyes nye slíshkom-to pokhózhe!

SERGEYPustyakí, my seychás pobyváli v rayú…

SONYETKASpasíbo, Katerína Lvóvna,spasíbo, Katerína Lvóvna,za chulkí spasíbo!Posmotrí, kak krasívona moíkh nogákh sidyát.Seryózha mnye ikh nadeváli nógi potselúyami mnye sogrevál.Akh, Seryózha, moy Seryózha,Katerína dúra,nye sumyéla uderzhát’ Sergéya.Ekh, dúra! Ekh dúra!A chúlochki nye vidát’,oní teypyér moi, vídish?Mnye tepyér tepló!

OFFICER27 Vstaváy! Po mestám! Zhívo!

CONVICTSEkh, vstavát’ nádo,dál’she, dál’she nádo idtí!

KATERINAIn the wood, right in a grove, there is a lake,almost round and very deepand the water in it is black,black like my conscience.And when the wind blows in the wood,on the lake waves rise up,huge waves and then it’s frightening;in autumn there are always waves on the lakeand the water’s black and the waves huge.Huge, black waves.(Sonyetka and Sergey come out from backstage.)

SERGEYDo you know, Sonyetka,who we resemble?Adam and Eve.

SONYETKABut it’s not all that like Paradise here!

SERGEYNonsense, we’ve just been in Paradise together…(Sonyetka goes up to Katerina, who is sitting motion-less, her eyes fixed on one spot.)

SONYETKAThank you, Katerina Lvovna,thank you, Katerina Lvovna,thank you for the stockings!Look how fine they lookon my legs.Seryozha put them on for meand kissed my legs to make them warm!Oh, Seryozha, my Seryozha,Katerina’s a fool,she couldn’t keep Sergey.Ha, what a fool! Ha, what a fool!And you won’t see your stockings again.They’re mine now, look!I’m warm now!(An officer wakens the convicts. The beating of thedrum is heard.)

OFFICEROn your feet! Back to your places! Look lively!(The convicts get up.)

CONVICTSOh, we’ve got to get upand get moving again!(The convicts line up. Katerina remains sitting motionless. An old convict goes up to her.)

OLD CONVICTTy bábenka, sly�shish? Ukhódim!Oní rugátsa búdut, sly�shish?

SONYETKA28 Akh!

CONVICTSBózhe moy! Shto takóe?

OFFICERNi s myésta! Nu! Ya vas!

SONYETKAAkh! Akh!

OFFICERObe potonúli,spastí nel’zyá, techénye sil’noe!Smírno! Po mestám!

OLD CONVICTSnóva i snóva shagát’,myérno zvenyá kandalámi,vyórsty uny�lo schitát’,pyl’ podnimáya nogámi!

CONVICTSEkh vy, stepí neob’yátnyye,dni i nóchi beskonyéchnyye,náshi dúmy bezotrádnyye,i zhandármy besserdyéchnyye,a…

OLD CONVICTHey, old girl, do you hear? We’re off!Otherwise they’ll give us hell, do you hear?(Katerina slowly goes up to Sonyetka, who is standing on the bridge by a broken parapet. She pushesSonyetka into the river and throws herself in after her.)

SONYETKAAh!

CONVICTSGood heavens! Whatever’s happened?

OFFICERDon’t move there! Watch it! I’ll do you!

SONYETKA (from a distance)Ah! Ah!

OFFICERThey’ve both drowned,we can’t save them, the current’s too strong!Attention! Back to your places!(The convicts line up and march off.)

OLD CONVICTWe trudge along day after day,clanging our fetters behind us.Wearily counting the versts,raising the dust all around us!

CONVICTSAh, steppes, you are so endless,days and nights so countless,the thoughts we think so cheerlessand the guards we have so heartless.Ah…(Exeunt the convicts. Their singing can be heard in thedistance. The stage is now empty.)

Transliteration and English translation © Joan Pemberton Smith, 1979