The rich man loved a poor woman,
The scientist loved a dumb woman,
The ruddy man loved a pale woman,
The kind man loved a bad woman,
And the gold a copper coin.
«Where, merchant, is your wealth all?»
«In a wallet that's full of holes!»
«Where, proud one, is what you know?»
«Under a girl's pillow.»
«Where are your red cheeks, gorgeous sight?»
«Whitened down in the black night.»
«Where is the cross with silver chain?»
«Under the girl's boots again.»
Rich man don't love a poor woman,
Scientist don't love a dumb woman,
Ruddy man don't love a pale woman,
Kind man don't love a bad woman,
And the gold a copper coin.
Полюбил богатый — бедную,
Полюбил учёный — глупую,
Полюбил румяный — бледную,
Полюбил хороший — вредную:
Золотой — полушку медную.
— Где, купец, твоё роскошество?
«Во дырявом во лукошечке!»
— Где, гордец, твои учёности?
«Под подушкой у девчоночки!»
— Где, красавец, щёки алые?
«За́ ночь чёрную — растаяли».
— Крест серебряный с цепочкою?
«У девчонки под сапожками!»
Не люби, богатый, — бедную,
Не люби, учёный, — глупую,
Не люби, румяный, — бледную,
Не люби, хороший, — вредную:
Золотой — полушку медную!
«Don’t distort your smile, away with teasing hands — / For I love another — off with your demands. Tell the truth, you know it — know it very well — / My regard’s not yours — another’s cast her spell. Passer-by I was. My heart’s not really here — / Only loitered then th...»
«On distant place my dreams are set / Where all can hear the cries and sobbing, / To share in alien sorrow’s net / And anguished grieving’s painful throbbing. For there, I’m sure that I can find / Delight in life and exaltation, / And there, escaping fortune’s bind, / I’ll cast...»
«I’m tired of life in my own land, / The boredom of the fields’ expanses, / I’m going to quit my cabin and / Like tramp or thief I’ll take my chances. I’ll chase the cloudy trails of day / In search of mean accommodation — / With knife in bootleg as I stray / That pal has str...»
«The winter sings — aloud it yells, / The pine tree with its hundred bells / lulls shaggy forest and / around it all the rain-drenched clouds / Are sadly mounting in their crowds / To float to distant land. And in the yard a blizzard spreads / Its lovely silken carpet’s threads, / ...»