by Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849)
Translation by Konstantin Dmitrevich Bal'mont (1867 - 1942)
Slyšiš', vojuščij nabat
Language: Russian (Русский)  after the English
Our translations: ENG
Slyšiš', vojuščij nabat,
Točno stonet mednyj ad!
Ėti zvuki, v dikoj muke, skazku užasov tverdjat.
Točno moljat im pomoč',
Krik kidajut prjamo v noč',
Prjamo v uši tëmnoj noči
Každyj zvuk,
To dlinnee, to koroče,
Vyklikaet svoj ispug, -
I ispug ich tak velik,
Tak bezumen každyj krik,
Čto razorvannye zvony, nesposobnye zvučat',
Mogut tol'ko bit'sja, vit'sja i kričat', kričat', kričat'!
Tol'ko plakat' o poščade
I k pylajuščej gromade
Vopli skorbi obraščat'!
A mež tem ogon' bezumnyj,
I gluchoj i mnogošumnyj,
Vsë gorit,
To iz okon, to po kryše,
Mčitsja vyše, vyše, vyše,
I kak budto govorit: --
JA choču
Vyše mčat'sja, razgorat'sja, vstreču lunnomu luču,
Il' umru, il' totčas -- totčas vplot' do mesjaca vzleču!
O, nabat, nabat, nabat,
Esli b ty vernul nazad
Ėtot užas, ėto plamja, ėtu iskru, ėtot vzgljad,
Ėtot pervyj vzgljad ognja,
O kotorom ty veščaeš', s plačem, s voplem i zvenja!
A teper' nam net spasen'ja,
Vsjudu plamja i kipen'e,
Vsjudu strach i vozmuščen'e!
Tvoj prizyv,
Dikich zvukov nesoglasnost'
Vozveščaet nam opasnost', -
To rastët beda gluchaja, to spadaet, kak priliv!
Sluch naš čutko lovit volny v peremene zvukovoj,
Vnov' spadaet, vnov' rydaet medno-stonuščij priboj!
About the headline (FAQ)
Confirmed with К. Д. Бальмонт, Из Мировой Поэзии, Берлин: Изд. Слово, 1921, pages 80-83.
Show a transliteration: Default | DIN | GOST
Note on TransliterationsShow untransliterated (original) text
Text Authorship:
- by Konstantin Dmitrevich Bal'mont (1867 - 1942), no title, appears in Колокольчики и колокола (Kolokol'chiki i kolokola), no. 3 [an adaptation] [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by Edgar Allan Poe (1809 - 1849), no title, appears in The Bells, no. 3
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Sergei Vasil'yevich Rachmaninov (1873 - 1943), "Слышишь, воющий набат", op. 35 no. 3, published 1920 [ chorus, soprano, tenor, baritone solo voices, and orchestra ], from Колокола (Kolokola), no. 3 [sung text checked 1 time]
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Ahmed E. Ismail) , copyright © 2007, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
Researcher for this page: Ahmed E. Ismail
This text was added to the website: 2007-12-14
Line count: 39
Word count: 188