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Мчатся тучи, вьются тучи; Невидимкою луна Освещает снег летучий; Мутно небо, ночь мутна. Еду, еду в чистом поле; Колокольчик дин-дин-дин... Страшно, страшно поневоле Средь неведомых равнин! „Эй, пошёл, ямщик!...“ — „Нет мочи Коням, барин, тяжело; Вьюга мне слипает очи; Все дороги занесло; Хоть убей, следа не видно; Сбились мы. Что делать нам! В поле бес нас водит, видно, Да кружит по сторонам. Посмотри: вон, вон играет, Дует, плюет на меня; Вон — теперь в овраг толкает Одичалого коня; [Там верстою небывалой Он торчал передо мной; Там сверкнул он искрой малой И пропал во тьме пустой“. Мчатся тучи, вьются тучи; Невидимкою луна Освещает снег летучий; Мутно небо, ночь мутна. Сил нам нет кружиться доле; Колокольчик вдруг умолк; Кони стали... „Что там в поле ?“ — „Кто их знает? пень иль волк?“ Вьюга злится, вьюга плачет; Кони чуткие храпят; Вот уж он далече скачет; Лишь глаза во мгле горят; Кони снова понеслися; Колокольчик дин-дин-дин... Вижу: духи собралися Средь белеющих равнин.]1 Бесконечны, безобразны, В мутной месяца игре Закружились бесы разны, Будто листья в ноябре... Сколько их! куда их гонят? Что так жалобно поют? Домового ли хоронят, Ведьму ль замуж выдают? [Мчатся тучи, вьются тучи; Невидимкою луна Освещает снег летучий; Мутно небо, ночь мутна.]1 Мчатся бесы рой за роем В беспредельной вышине, Визгом жалобным и воем Надрывая сердце мне...
1 omitted by Smirnov.
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Note on TransliterationsText Authorship:
- by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Бесы" [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 Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov (1948 - 2020), "Бесы", op. 20 no. 4, published 1976 [ voice, flute, percussion, violin, and cello ], from Pechal' minuvshikh dnej, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Dmitri Smirnov) , "The demons", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Martha Gilbert Dickinson Bianchi) , "Goblins on the steppes", appears in Russian Lyrics, first published 1916
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-16
Line count: 56
Word count: 215
Clouds are spinning, clouds are rushing, The invisible moon Lights up the flying snow, Hazy skies and hazy night. We are driving through the open plain, The bells go ding-ding-ding. You can't help being afraid Among these unknown fields. "Hey, go on, coachman!" "I can't, It's hard for the horses, sir. The wind is too strong, I can't see, And all the roads are covered with snow. Though you kill me, I shall not see. We've lost our way. What can we do? Perhaps the demon is tricking us in the plain And makes us wander around in circles. Look, he is playing, Blowing, spitting on me; Now he is pushing our wild horse Into a pit... [ ... ] Numberless ugly demons In the muddy game of the moonlight Are turning round Like leaves in November. What a lot of them! Where are they forced to go? Why is their singing so sad? Are they burying a goblin, Or holding a witch's wedding?... [ ... ] Demons are rushing, swarm after swarm In boundless sky; And with their plaintive howling and screaming They are tearing my heart apart.
Text Authorship:
- Translation from Russian (Русский) to English copyright © 2008 by Dmitri Smirnov, (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 Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Бесы"
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-16
Line count: 37
Word count: 187