Text & Translation
Kaby znala ja, 'If only I'd known better'
Russian source:
Leo Tolstoy
Ne smotrela bï iz okoshechka
Ya na molodtsa razudalovo,
Kak on ekhal po nashey ulitse.
Nabekren zalomivshi murmolku,
Kak likhovo konya bulanovo,
Zvonko nogovo, dolgo grivovo
Suprotiv okon na dïbï vzdïmal!
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala,
Dlya nevo bï ya ne ryadilasa,
S zolotoy kaymoy lentu aluyu
V kosu dlinnuyu ne v pletala bï,
Rano do svetu ne vstavala bï,
Za okolitsu ne speshila bï,
V rose nozhenki ne mochila bï,
Na prosyolok tot ne glyadela bï,
Ne proyedet li tem prosyolkom on,
Na ruke derzha pyostra sokola?
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala!
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala,
Ne sidela bï pozdnim vecherom,
Prigoryu nivshis na zavaline,
Na zavaline, bliz kolodezya,
Podzhidayuchi, da gadayuchi,
Ne pridyot li on, nenaglyadnïy moy!
Napoit konya studenoy vodoy!
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala!
If only I'd known better
English translation ©
Laura Prichard
I wouldn’t have looked out my little window
At the brazen young man,
As he rode along our street.
His murmolka tilted to the side
On his dashing dun steed,
Hooves ringing, long mane [waving],
And right in front of my windows, his horse reared up!
If only I’d known better, if I’d been sure,
For him, I wouldn’t have dressed up,
Wouldn’t have woven a gold-bordered scarlet ribbon
Into my long braid,
Wouldn’t have risen so early, before first light,
Wouldn’t have rushed to the edge of town,
Wouldn’t have gotten my feet soaked with dew,
Wouldn’t have watched the road, to see
Whether he would ride back this way
With a speckled falcon on his arm?
If only I’d known better, if I’d been sure,
I wouldn’t have sat up all evening,
Sitting sadly on the little knoll nearby,
On the knoll, near the well,
Watching, wondering:
Won’t he come by, my beloved,
To water his steed at the well?!
Translation © by Laura Prichard, reprinted with permission from the LiederNet Archive
Kaby znala ja, 'If only I'd known better'
Russian source:
Leo Tolstoy
If only I'd known better
English source:
Laura Prichard
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala,
If only I’d known better, if I’d been sure,
Ne smotrela bï iz okoshechka
I wouldn’t have looked out my little window
Ya na molodtsa razudalovo,
At the brazen young man,
Kak on ekhal po nashey ulitse.
As he rode along our street.
Nabekren zalomivshi murmolku,
His murmolka tilted to the side
Kak likhovo konya bulanovo,
On his dashing dun steed,
Zvonko nogovo, dolgo grivovo
Hooves ringing, long mane [waving],
Suprotiv okon na dïbï vzdïmal!
And right in front of my windows, his horse reared up!
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala,
If only I’d known better, if I’d been sure,
Dlya nevo bï ya ne ryadilasa,
For him, I wouldn’t have dressed up,
S zolotoy kaymoy lentu aluyu
Wouldn’t have woven a gold-bordered scarlet ribbon
V kosu dlinnuyu ne v pletala bï,
Into my long braid,
Rano do svetu ne vstavala bï,
Wouldn’t have risen so early, before first light,
Za okolitsu ne speshila bï,
Wouldn’t have rushed to the edge of town,
V rose nozhenki ne mochila bï,
Wouldn’t have gotten my feet soaked with dew,
Na prosyolok tot ne glyadela bï,
Wouldn’t have watched the road, to see
Ne proyedet li tem prosyolkom on,
Whether he would ride back this way
Na ruke derzha pyostra sokola?
With a speckled falcon on his arm?
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala!
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala,
If only I’d known better, if I’d been sure,
Ne sidela bï pozdnim vecherom,
I wouldn’t have sat up all evening,
Prigoryu nivshis na zavaline,
Sitting sadly on the little knoll nearby,
Na zavaline, bliz kolodezya,
On the knoll, near the well,
Podzhidayuchi, da gadayuchi,
Watching, wondering:
Ne pridyot li on, nenaglyadnïy moy!
Won’t he come by, my beloved,
Napoit konya studenoy vodoy!
To water his steed at the well?!
Kabï znala ya, kabï vedala!
Composer
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. His works are still among the most popular music in the classical repetoire, and he is widely acknowledged as the first Russian composer to make a lasting international…
Poet
Leo Tolstoy
Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (9 September 1828 – 20 November 1910), usually referred to in English as Leo Tolstoy, was a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time. He received multiple nominations for Nobel Prize in…