Bogomater v gorode, 'Virgin in the city'

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Bogomater v gorode, 'Virgin in the city'
Russian source: Aleksandr Blok

Ty prokhodish' bez ulybki,
Opustivshaja resnicy,
I vo mrake nad soborom
Zolotjatsja kupola.

Kak lico tvoje pokhozhe
Na vechernikh bogorodic,
Opuskajushchikh resnicy,
Propadajushchikh vo mgle...

No s toboj idet kudrjavyj
Krotkij mal'chik v beloj shapke,
Ty vedesh' jego za ruchku,
Ne dajesh' jemu upast'.

Ja stoju v teni portala,
Tam, gde dujet rezkij veter,
Zastilajushchij slezami
Naprjazhennye glaza.

Ja khochu vnezapno vyjti
I voskliknut': "Bogomater'!
Dlja chego v moj chernyj gorod
Ty Mladenca privela?"

No jazyk bessilen kriknut'.
Ty prokhodish'. Za toboju
Nad svjashchennymi sledami
Pochivajet sinij mrak.

I smotrju ja, vspominaja,
Kak opushcheny resnicy,
Kak tvoj mal'chik v beloj shapke
Ulybnulsja na tebja.

Virgin in the city
English translation © Philip Ross Bullock

You pass by without a smile,
Your eyelashes cast down,
And in the darkness above the cathedral
Radiantly shine the golden domes.

How your face resembles
Those eventide Virgins
With downcast eyelashes,
Who vanish into the darkness…

But a curly-haired boy walks with you,
Meek and dressed in a white cap,
You lead him by the hand,
You do not let him fall.

I stand in the shadow of the doorway,
Where a sharp wind blows,
Clouding my strained eyes
With tears.

I would like to step forward suddenly
And cry out: ‘Mother of God!
Why have You brought
This Infant to my black city?’

But my tongue is powerless to shout out.
You pass by. Behind you
Above your sacred footprints
The blue darkness slumbers.

And I gaze, remembering
Your downcast eyelashes,
And the little boy in his white cap,
Smiling at you.

Bogomater v gorode, 'Virgin in the city'
Russian source: Aleksandr Blok

Virgin in the city
English source: Philip Ross Bullock

Ty prokhodish' bez ulybki,
You pass by without a smile,
Opustivshaja resnicy,
Your eyelashes cast down,
I vo mrake nad soborom
And in the darkness above the cathedral
Zolotjatsja kupola.
Radiantly shine the golden domes.

Kak lico tvoje pokhozhe
How your face resembles
Na vechernikh bogorodic,
Those eventide Virgins
Opuskajushchikh resnicy,
With downcast eyelashes,
Propadajushchikh vo mgle...
Who vanish into the darkness…

No s toboj idet kudrjavyj
But a curly-haired boy walks with you,
Krotkij mal'chik v beloj shapke,
Meek and dressed in a white cap,
Ty vedesh' jego za ruchku,
You lead him by the hand,
Ne dajesh' jemu upast'.
You do not let him fall.

Ja stoju v teni portala,
I stand in the shadow of the doorway,
Tam, gde dujet rezkij veter,
Where a sharp wind blows,
Zastilajushchij slezami
Clouding my strained eyes
Naprjazhennye glaza.
With tears.

Ja khochu vnezapno vyjti
I would like to step forward suddenly
I voskliknut': "Bogomater'!
And cry out: ‘Mother of God!
Dlja chego v moj chernyj gorod
Why have You brought
Ty Mladenca privela?"
This Infant to my black city?’

No jazyk bessilen kriknut'.
But my tongue is powerless to shout out.
Ty prokhodish'. Za toboju
You pass by. Behind you
Nad svjashchennymi sledami
Above your sacred footprints
Pochivajet sinij mrak.
The blue darkness slumbers.

I smotrju ja, vspominaja,
And I gaze, remembering
Kak opushcheny resnicy,
Your downcast eyelashes,
Kak tvoj mal'chik v beloj shapke
And the little boy in his white cap,
Ulybnulsja na tebja.
Smiling at you.