All year long, you have always been near me,
Always joyful and young, all along!
Could it be that you haven’t grown weary
Of the suffering strings’ troubled song, —
Those, which used to be taut and loud,
And can now only moan slightly, spent,
They’re tormented and nearly worn-out
By my dry, waxen hand...
Not much’s needed for joy and elation,
When you’re gentle and loving in truth,
Neither jealousy, angst, nor vexation
Can perturb the brow of the youth.
He never asks for endearment, all quiet,
Only gazes at me all the time,
And he bears with a blissful smile
This distressing oblivion of mine.
Н. В. Н.<едоброво>
Целый год ты со мной неразлучен,
А как прежде и весел и юн!
Неужели же ты не измучен
Смутной песней затравленных струн, —
Тех, что прежде, тугие, звенели,
А теперь только стонут слегка,
И моя их терзает без цели
Восковая, сухая рука…
Верно, мало для счастия надо
Тем, кто нежен и любит светло,
Что ни ревность, ни гнев, ни досада
Молодое не тронут чело.
Тихий, тихий, и ласки не просит,
Только долго глядит на меня
И с улыбкой блаженной выносит
Страшный бред моего забытья.
«This old man, which is always flying, / Always comes and leaves, / Everywhere lives — both here and there, / With him walking a days and centuries, / And he eats up mountains, drain river, / And gives new life to the worlds, / This old man for mortal evil burden, / To him everyone wa...»
«Should you deplore the loss of youthful days? / You haven’t changed, in all your splendour, / With time your charming grace / Has come to be more glamorous and tender. Your friend does not appreciate / The art of love, mysterious and pleasing, / Her eyes are silent, lifeless and inanima...»
«I swore I’d never fall in love, / I’ll keep my word as I‘ve declared. / You want to know the truth, my dove? / Well I’m... already feeling scared!»
«Fatigued and worn, life in my frozen chest is fading / And that’s the end of strife, the end of everything! / Kyprid and Eros, torments to my heart you bring! / Just listen to my dismal voice before its ending. I’m fading, and I’m bearing the pain: / I’m half alive but I am burning,...»