Where sea waves crash against
The barren cliffs with all their might,
Where the glowing moon enchants
In the twilight of the night,
Where, in a harem, a Muslim, daily
Spends his time without a care,
The sorceress, caressing, gave me
A sacred talisman to wear.
And then, embracing me, she said:
“It contains mysterious force!
Cherish it and keep it safe!
Understand that love’s its source.
Also know — it can’t prevent
Sudden death or serious illness,
It cannot protect you head
From the hurricane or tempest.
It cannot bestow upon you
All the riches of the East,
Prophet’s crowds won’t applaud you
Or obey you in the least.
It cannot transport you forth
From the gloomy foreign lands,
From the south to the north,
Home to be embraced by friends…
But whenever cunning eyes
Charm you and you can’t resist,
Or hiding in the night’s disguise,
Wicked lips aim for your lips,
Then, this talisman will guard
From dishonesty, my friend!
And protect your fragile heart,
From betrayals and neglect!”
Там, где море вечно плещет
На пустынные скалы,
Где луна теплее блещет
В сладкий час вечерней мглы,
Где, в гаремах наслаждаясь,
Дни проводит мусульман,
Там волшебница, ласкаясь,
Мне вручила талисман.
И, ласкаясь, говорила:
«Сохрани мой талисман:
В нем таинственная сила!
Он тебе любовью дан.
От недуга, от могилы,
В бурю, в грозный ураган,
Головы твоей, мой милый,
Не спасет мой талисман.
И богатствами Востока
Он тебя не одарит,
И поклонников пророка
Он тебе не покорит;
И тебя на лоно друга,
От печальных чуждых стран,
В край родной на север с юга
Не умчит мой талисман…
Но когда коварны очи
Очаруют вдруг тебя,
Иль уста во мраке ночи
Поцалуют не любя —
Милый друг! от преступленья,
От сердечных новых ран,
От измены, от забвенья
Сохранит мой талисман!»
«All trousers are cut in the same way, / Same goes for whiskers, overcoats, even pots. / I am the same as everyone on the street / And blend in completely at the corner... But I would not trade in my personality / To become a member of it all, or it of me — / I wrap myself entirely in in...»
«Tightly coiled, like a snake it sits / In my very heart, weaving spells / Or murmurs for days on end / Like a dove on my white windowsill. In the sparkle of hoarfrost a gleam, / In the carnation's slumber a hint, / And secretly, surely it leads / From all joy and peace of mind. It can ...»
«Then helplessly my breast grew cold, / But my steps were light. / I pulled the glove for my left hand / Onto my right. There seemed to be many steps, / But I knew--there were only three! / The whisper of autumn in the maples / Was pleading: "die with me! I am betrayed by my doleful, / ...»
«The memory of the sun is weakening my heart. / Turns yellow the grass. / The wind blows the early snowflakes, / Lightly, lightly. In the narrow channels there is no flow — / Water freezes. / Nothing will ever happen here, — / Oh, never! In the empty sky the willow has thrown / A ...»