Attention! Some of this material is not in the public domain.
It is illegal to copy and distribute our copyright-protected material without permission. It is also illegal to reprint copyright texts or translations without the name of the author or translator.
To inquire about permissions and rates, contact Emily Ezust at licenses@email.lieder.example.net
If you wish to reprint translations, please make sure you include the names of the translators in your email. They are below each translation.
Note: You must use the copyright symbol © when you reprint copyright-protected material.
Когда [могущая]1 Зима, Как [бодрый]2 вождь, ведет сама На нас [косматые]3 дружины Своих морозов и снегов, — Навстречу ей трещат камины, И весел зимний жар пиров. Царица грозная, Чума Теперь идёт на нас сама И льстится жатвою богатой; И к нам в окошко день и ночь Стучит могильною лопатой.... Что делать нам? и чём помочь? Как от проказницы Зимы, Запремся также от Чумы! Зажжём огни, нальем бокалы, Утопим весело умы И, заварив пиры да балы, Восславим царствие Чумы. Есть упоение в бою, И бездны мрачной на краю, И в разъяренном океане, Средь грозных волн и бурной тьмы, И в аравийском урагане, И в дуновении Чумы. Все, все, что гибелью грозит, Для сердца смертного таит Неизъяснимы наслажденья — [Бессмертья]4, может быть, залог! И счастлив тот, кто средь волненья Их обретать и ведать мог. Итак, — хвала тебе, Чума, Нам не страшна могилы тьма, Нас не смутит твоё призванье! Бокалы пеним дружно мы И девы-розы пьем дыханье, — Быть может... полное Чумы!
About the headline (FAQ)
View original text (without footnotes)1 Cui: "moguchaja"
2 Cui: "dobryj"
3 old-style spelling: "kosmatyja"
4 old-style spelling: "Bezsmert'ja"
Show a transliteration: Default | DIN | GOST
Note on TransliterationsAuthorship:
- by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), no title, appears in Пир во время Чумы (Pir vo vremja Chumy) [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by César Antonovich Cui (1835 - 1918), "Гимн Вальсингама - из драматическаго отрыбка ,,Пир во время чумы``", op. 49 (Семь романсов = Sem' romansov (Seven romances)) no. 5 [ voice and piano ] [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CHI Chinese (中文) [singable] (Dr Huaixing Wang) , "雄壮的冬天已来临", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English [singable] (Lyle Neff) , "Walsingham's Hymn", copyright © 1997, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2009-10-04
Line count: 36
Word count: 160
When mighty winter comes along, Just like a leader, cheerful, strong And hearty, sending us a greeting, With shaggy troops of ice and snow, The fireplace crackles at the meeting And keeps the merry feast aglow. The dreadful plague, that gruesome queen, Now comes upon us, yet unseen, And boasts a harvest rich, increasing. Upon our windows day and night It knocks with graveyard spades, unceasing!.. What can we do to help our plight? As with the winter's crafty tricks, Our doors against the plague we'll fix! We'll light the fires and fill our glasses, While merrily our minds are drowned. Before the feasting revel passes, The royal plague shall then be crowned! In waging battle there is bliss, As on the edge of an abyss, And in the ocean's angry flowing, Amidst its dark and stormy swell, And in the tempest's mighty blowing, And in the whiff of plague as well! All, all that threatens and destroys Conceals untold and boundless joys; For mortal souls, perhaps this token: A pledge of immortality! And he who finds that pledge unspoken There midst the storm shall happy be. So plague, our praise upon you here! Your gloomy grave brings us no fear; Your call does not disturb our leisure! We raise our bubbling glasses high, Drink in the fragrant wine with pleasure, And maybe there the plague may lie!
Authorship:
- Singable translation from Russian (Русский) to English copyright © 1997 by Lyle Neff, (re)printed on this website with kind permission. To reprint and distribute this author's work for concert programs, CD booklets, etc., you may ask the copyright-holder(s) directly or ask us; we are authorized to grant permission on their behalf. Please provide the translator's name when contacting us.
Contact: licenses@email.lieder.example.net
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), no title, appears in Пир во время Чумы (Pir vo vremja Chumy)
This text was added to the website: 2015-03-06
Line count: 36
Word count: 228