If all who have begged help
From me in this world,
All the holy innocents,
Broken wives, and cripples,
The imprisoned, the suicidal —
If they had sent me one kopeck
I should have become ‘richer
Than all Egypt’...
But they did not send me kopecks,
Instead they shared with me their strength,
And so nothing in the world
Is stronger than I,
And I can bear anything, even this.
Если б все, кто помощи душевной
У меня просил на этом свете, —
Все юродивые и немые,
Брошенные жены и калеки,
Каторжники и самоубийцы, —
Мне прислали по одной копейке,
Стала б я «богаче всех в Египте»,
Как говаривал Кузмин покойный...
Но они не слали мне копейки,
А со мной своей делились силой,
И я стала всех сильней на свете —
Так что даже это мне не трудно.
«With wavering feet I walked where dawn-lit mists were lying, / To find the shores of wonder and of mystery. / Dawn struggled with the final stars, frail dreams were flying, / While unto unknown gods my morning lips were crying / The prayers that my dream-imprisoned soul had whispered ...»
«Cast prostrate, in mourning, / Wingless, self-scorning, / Grief in a gust / Flings us, dust upon dust. / We desire not, we dare not, / We believe not, we care not, / No wisdom has worth. / God, do thou dower us, / Kindle, empower us, / Give of thy mirth. / From the languor that c...»
« Over earth awakes a whirring, / And a rustling, and a stirring, / Trumpet-voices fill the skies: / "Lo, they call us. Brothers, rise!" / "No. The darkness holds unshaken. / I will sleep, and not awaken. / Do not rouse me. Do not call. / Do not strike the coffin-wall." "Now you dare ...»
«With heavy anguish, hopeless straining, / The bonds of love I would remove. / Oh, to be loosed from their enchaining! / Oh, freedom, only not to love! The soul that shame and fear are scourging / Crawls through a mist of dust and blood. / From dust, great God, my spirit purging, / Oh, s...»