Razluchajas’ s devoj miloj, drug, Ty kljalsja mne ljubit’!… Ujezzhaja v kraj postylyj, Kljatvu dannuju khranit’!…
Tam, za Danijej schastlivoj, Berega tvoji vo mgle… Val serdityj, govorlivyj Mojet sljozy na skale…
Milyj voin ne vernjotsja, Ves’ odetyj v serebro… V grobe tjazhko vskolykhnjotsja Bant i chjornoje pero…
When you left me, my dear friend you promised to love me You left for a hostile land, and swore to keep your promise!
Beyond the happy land of Denmark, Its shores are in darkness… The angry waves wash over the rocks…
My dear warrior shall not return, all dressed in silver… The bow, and the black feather will restlessly lie in their grave.
Na gladjakh beskonechnykh vod, Zakatom v purpur oblechjonnykh, Ona veshchajet i pojot, Ne v silakh kryl podnjat’ smjatjonnykh…
Veshchajet igo zlykh tatar, Veshchajet kaznej rjad krovavykh, I trus, i golod, i pozhar, Zlodejev silu, gibel’ pravykh…
Predvechnym uzhasom ob”jat, Prekrasnyj lik gorit ljubov’ju, No veshchej pravdoju zvuchat Usta, zapekshijesja krov’ju!
On endless waters’ smooth expanse, By sunset clad in crimson splendour, In Delphic tone she ever sings, But cannot spread her weakened pinions…
She prophesies the Tartars’ evil yoke, Its course of bloody executions, And quake, and famine, and alarm, The righteous’ downfall, evil’s power…
In dark primeval terror wreathed, Her countenance aflame with love, She speaks; and prophecies resound Through truthful lips with bloodstains clotted!
My byli vmeste, pomnju ja… Noch’ volnovalas’, skripka pela, Ty v `eti dni byla moja, Ty s kazhdym chasom khoroshela.
Skvoz’ tikhoje zhurchan’je struj, Skvoz’ tajnu zhenstvennoj ulybki K ustam prosilsja poceluj, Prosilis’ v serdce zvuki skripki…
We were together, I recall… Violins sang in vibrant darkness; In those days, you were my own, With every hour you grew more fair.
The secrets of a woman’s smile, The quiet whispering of breezes Set tender kisses on my lips, And filled my heart with violin songs…
Gorod spit, okutan mgloju, Chut’ mercajut fonari… Tam daljoko, za Nevoju, Vizhu otbleski zari.
V `etom dal’nem otrazhen’ji, V `etikh otbleskakh ognja Pritailos’ probuzhden’je Dnej, tosklivykh dlja menja…
Gloom enwraps the sleeping city, Lanterns flickering and pale… Daybreak’s distant scintillations Gleam beyond the dark Neva.
In this faraway reflection, In these glimmerings of flame Lay concealed the origin Of my forsaken, joyless days…
O, kak bezumno za oknom Revjot, bushujet burja zlaja, Nesutsja tuchi, l’jut dozhdjom, I veter vojet, zamiraja!
Uzhasna noch’! V takuju noch’ Mne zhal’ ljudej, lishjonnykh krova, Sozhalen’je gonit proch’ – V ob”jat’ja kholoda syrogo!
Borot’sja s mrakom i dozhdjom, Stradalcev uchast’ razdeljaja… O, kak bezumno za oknom Bushujet veter, iznyvaja!
Oh, how fierce and wild it is Beyond my window, The savage tempest roars and rages, With scudding storm clouds, streaming rain And howling wind that fades to silence!
An awful night! On such a night I pity those bereft of shelter: A deep compassion drives me forth To share the winter’s damp embraces!…
To strive against the gloom and rain, At one with outcasts, doomed to suffer… Beyond my window, fierce and wild, The raging wind sinks in exhaustion!
Razgorajutsja tajnyje znaki Na glukhoj, neprobudnoj stene. Zolotyje i krasnyje maki Nado mnoj tjagotejut vo sne.
Ukryvajus’ v nochnyje peshchery I ne pomnju surovykh chudes. Na zare golubyje khimery Smotrjat v zerkale jarkikh nebes.
Ubegaju v proshedshije migi, Zakryvaju ot strakha glaza, Na listakh kholodejushchej knigi – Zolotaja devich’ja kosa.
Nado mnoj nebosvod uzhe nizok, Chjornyj son tjagotejet v grudi. Moj konec prednachertannyj blizok, I vojna, i pozhar – vperedi…
The secret signs flare up against the impenetrable wall. Golden and crimson poppies blossom in my dreams.
I plunge into the caverns of the night, and forget the solemnity of wondrous events. And in the glow, blue chimeras Gaze into the mirror of the bright heavens.
I flee into moments from the past And I close my eyes in horror At the blonde braid in the pages of A book grown cold
The canopy of the stars is now low, the darkest dreams lie heavy in the heart. My end is near, fate has ordained it, with war and fire that lie before me…
V noch’, kogda usnjot trevoga I gorod skrojetsja vo mgle, O, skol’ko muzyki u boga, Kakije zvuki na zemle!
Chto burja zhizni, Jesli rozy tvoji cvetut mne i gorjat! Chto chelovecheskije sljozy, Kogda rumjanitsja zakat!
Primi, Vladychica vselennoj, Skvoz’ krov’, skvoz’ muki, skvoz’ groba Poslednej strasti kubok pennyj Ot nedostojnogo raba.
At night, when our cares slip into oblivion and the city hides itself in darkness, Oh, such music does God have! And what sounds on Earth!
So what – of life’s storms If roses bloom and glow for me ! So what – of human tears When the sunset glows crimson!.
O Goddess of the Universe, Accept through blood, through pain, through mortality this goblet, foaming with the last passions of your unworthy slave.
*Aleksandr Blok and his wife were teenage lovers (not in the carnal sense), who met while performing in an amateur production of Hamlet, where she played Ophelia to his Hamlet. They married several years later. She was the daughter of Dmitry Mendeleev, the creator of the chemical tables.