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Отчего я люблю тебя, светлая ночь, -- Так люблю, что страдая любуюсь тобой! И за что я люблю тебя, тихая ночь! Ты не мне, ты другим посылаешь покой!... Что мне звёзды -- луна -- небосклон -- облака -- Этот свет, что, скользя на холодный гранит, Превращает в алмазы росинки цветка, И, как путь золотой, через море бежит? Ночь! -- за что мне любить твой серебряный свет! Усладит ли он горечь скрываемых слёз, Даст ли жадному сердцу желанный ответ, Разрешит ли [сомненья]1 тяжёлый вопрос! Что мне сумрак холмов — трепет сонный листов — Моря тёмного вечно-шумящий прибой — Голоса насекомых во мраке садов — Гармонический говор струи ключевой? Ночь! — за что мне любить твой таинственный шум! Освежит ли он знойную бездну души, Заглушит ли он бурю мятежную дум — Всё, что жарче впотьмах и слышнее в тиши! Сам не знаю, за что я люблю тебя, ночь, -- Так люблю, что страдая любуюсь тобой! Сам не знаю, за что я люблю тебя, ночь, -- Оттого, может быть, что далёк мой покой! --
P. Tchaikovsky sets stanzas 1-3, 6
1 Tchaikovsky: "сомнений" ("somnenij")
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Note on TransliterationsAuthorship:
- by Yakov Petrovich Polonsky (1819 - 1898), "Ночь", first published 1850 [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 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893), "Ночь", op. 60 (Двенадцать романсов = Dvenadcat' romansov (Twelve romances) = Zwölf Lieder für 1 Singstimme mit Pianofortebleitung) no. 9 (1886), stanzas 1-3,6 [ voice and piano ], also set in German (Deutsch) [sung text checked 1 time]
- by Yelena Zhdanova , "Ночь" [sung text not yet checked]
- by Aleksandr Konstantinovich Zhuravets , "Ночь" [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist ; composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
- Go to the text. [Note: the text is not in the database yet.]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Malcolm Wren) , "Night", copyright © 2017, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Nuit", copyright © 2016, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- POL Polish (Polski) (Alicja Istigniejew) , "Noc", copyright © 2013, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 24
Word count: 162
Why do I love you, shining night? I love you so much that even in my suffering I love you! And is that why I love you, quiet night? It is not me but others to whom you send rest! . . . What are the stars to me, the moon, the sky, the clouds, This light hovering over the cold granite Transforming the dew drops on the flowers into diamonds And running across the sea like a golden highway? Night? Why do I love your silver light? Does it remove the bitter taste of hidden tears? Might it give the longed for answer to an eager heart? Will it resolve doubts raised by painful questions? Even I do not know why I love you, night. I love you so much that even when I am suffering I love you! Even I do not know why I love you, night. It is perhaps because rest is so far away from me!
Authorship:
- Translation from Russian (Русский) to English copyright © 2017 by Malcolm Wren, (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 Yakov Petrovich Polonsky (1819 - 1898), "Ночь", first published 1850
This text was added to the website: 2017-12-02
Line count: 16
Word count: 161