Rusalka | If you can, understand. If you want, take

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by Konstantin Dmitrevich Bal'mont (1867 - 1942)

Translation © by Jennifer Gliere

Русалка

Language: Russian (Русский)

Our translations: ENG ENG FRE

Если можешь, пойми. Если хочешь, возьми.
Ты один мне понравился между людьми.
До тебя я была холодна и бледна.
Я с глубокого, тихого, темного дна.

Нет, помедли. Сейчас загорится для нас
Молодая луна. Вот - ты видишь? Зажглась!
Дышит мрак голубой. Ну, целуй же! Ты мой?
Здесь. И здесь. Так. И здесь... Ах, как сладко с тобой!

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Note on Transliterations

Text Authorship:

by Konstantin Dmitrevich Bal'mont (1867 - 1942), "Русалка", written 1903, appears in Будем как Солнце (Budem kak Solnce), in Зачарованный грот (Zacharovannyj grot) [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 Vladimir Evgenevich Byutsov (1887 - 1959), "Русалка", op. 1 (12 романсов) no. 6, published 1906 [ voice and piano ], Moscow: P. Jurgenson [sung text not yet checked]
by Reinhold Moritzevich Glière (1875 - 1956), "Русалка", op. 52 (Двенадцать романсов (Dvenadcat' romansov) = Twelve Romances) no. 8 [sung text checked 1 time]
by Mikhail Andreyevich Ostroglazov , "Русалка" [sung text not yet checked]

Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):

ENG English (Jennifer Gliere) , "Rusalka", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
ENG English (Patrick John Corness) , "The Water Nymph", copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Rusalka", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission

Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]

This text was added to the website: 2008-08-13
Line count: 8
Word count: 56

Rusalka

Language: English after the Russian (Русский)

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If you can, understand. If you want, take.
You were the one among the crowd who pleased me.
To you I was cold and pale.
I, from the deep, quiet, dark bottom!

No, linger. Now the young moon will catch fire for us.
Here – you see? It lit up!
It breathes blue gloom. Well, kiss me! Are you mine?
Here. And here. Like this. And here…. Ah! It is sweet with you!

Text Authorship:

Translation from Russian (Русский) to English copyright © 2016 by Jennifer Gliere, (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.
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Based on:

a text in Russian (Русский) by Konstantin Dmitrevich Bal'mont (1867 - 1942), "Русалка", written 1903, appears in Будем как Солнце (Budem kak Solnce), in Зачарованный грот (Zacharovannyj grot)
- Go to the text page.

This text was added to the website: 2016-12-28
Line count: 8
Word count: 73