Pushkin: "To...." (From Russian)

To....
By Alexander Pushkin
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the original Russian

I still recall a wondrous vision.
There you appeared to me in grace: 
The fleeting genius apparition
Of perfect beauty with a face.

Through hopeless sorrow that oppressed me,

Through life's alarm and senseless schemes
That caring voice and soul caressed me,
And that dear face would fill my dreams.

Years passed. The stormwinds whirled against me,

Scattering former dreams of grace,
And I forgot your voice caressed me,
Forgot the heavens of your face.

In wastes, away...in isolation

My days trudged on through quiet years,
No sense of God.... no inspiration
No sense of life.... no love....no tears.

The soul awakened to a vision

And once again you walked in grace:
The fleeting genius apparition
Of perfect beauty with a face.

The heart now bounds in exaltation.

In resurrection reappears
The sense of God.....and inspiration
And sense of life...and love...and tears


The Original:

К....
Александр Пушкин

Я помню чудное мгновенье:
Передо мной явилась ты,
Какъ мимолетное видѣнье,
Какъ генiй чистой красоты.

Въ томленьяхъ грусти безнадежной
Въ тревогахъ шумной суеты,
Звучалъ мнѣ долго голосъ нѣжной
И снились милыя черты.

Шли годы. Бурь порывъ мятежной
Разсѣялъ прежнiя мечты,
И я забылъ твой голосъ нѣжной,
Твои небесныя черты.

Въ глуши, во мракѣ заточенья
Тянулись тихо дни мои
Безъ божества, безъ вдохновенья,
Безъ слезъ, безъ жизни, безъ любви.

Душѣ настало пробужденье:
И вотъ опять явилась ты,
Какъ мимолетное видѣнье,
Какъ генiй чистой красоты.

И сердце бьется въ упоеньѣ,
И для него воскресли вновь
И божество, и вдохновенье,
И жизнь, и слезы, и любовь.

Pushkin: I Loved You (Russian)

I Loved You
By Alexander Pushkin
Translated by A.Z. Foreman
Click to hear me recite the Russian

I loved you, once: and love, it could well be,
Within my soul lies unextinguished yet.
But let the thought no longer trouble you.
I would not bring you anguish or regret.
I loved you with no words and to no end
Now timorous, now jealous, pain by pain.
I loved you though so tenderly, sincerely

I hope to God you're loved like that again.

The Original:

Я Вас Любил

Я васъ любилъ; любовь еще, быть можетъ,
Въ душѣ моей угасла не совсѣмъ;
Но пусть она васъ больше не тревожитъ;
Я не хочу печалить васъ ничѣмъ.
Я васъ любилъ безмолвно, безнадежно,
То робостью, то ревностью томимъ;
Я васъ любилъ так искренно, такъ нѣжно,
Какъ дай вамъ Богъ любимой быть другимъ.