Songs
Makferson pered kazn'ju, 'Macpherson's Farewell'
by Dmitri Shostakovich From Six Romances on Verses by English Poets (1942) Op. 62
Text & Translation
Makferson pered kazn'ju, 'Macpherson's Farewell'
Russian source:
Samuil Yakovlevich Marschak
Shjol k viselice on,
V poslednij chas, v poslednij pljas
Pustilsja Makferson.
Privet vam, tjur'my korolja,
Gde zhizn' vlachat raby!
Menja segodnja zhdjot petlja
I gladkije stolby.
V poljakh vojny, sredi mechej,
Vstrechal ja smert' ne raz,
No ne drozhal ja pered nej, -
Ne drognu i sejchas!
Razbejte stal' moikh okov,
Vernite moj dospekh,
Pust' vydut desjat' smel'chakov,
Ja odoleju vsekh!
Ja zhizn' svoju provjol v boju,
Umru ne ot mecha.
Izmennik predal zhizn' moju
Verjovke palacha.
I pered smert'ju ob odnom
Dusha moja grustit,
Chto za menja v kraju rodnom
Nikto ne otomstit.
Prosti, moj kraj! Ves' mir, proshchaj!
Menja pojmali v set'.
No zhalok tot, kto smerti zhdjot,
Ne smeja umeret'!
Tak veselo, otchajanno
Shjol k viselice on.
V poslednij chas, v poslednij pljas
Pustilsja Makferson.
Macpherson's Farewell
English translation ©
Robert Burns
sae dauntingly gaed he;
he played a spring and danced it round,
below the gallows tree.
Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong,
The wretch’s destinie:
Macpherson’s time will not be long
on yonder gallows tree.
Oh, what is death but parting breath?
On mony a bloody plain
I’ve dared his face, and in this place
I scorn him yet again!
Untie these bands from off my hands,
and bring to me my sword,
and there’s no a man in all Scotland,
but I’ll brave him at a word.
I’ve lived a life of sturt and strife;
I die by treacherie :
It burns my heart I must depart
and not avenged be.
Now farewell light, thou sunshine bright,
And all beneath the sky!
May coward shame distain his name,
The wretch that dares not die!
Makferson pered kazn'ju, 'Macpherson's Farewell'
Russian source:
Samuil Yakovlevich Marschak
Macpherson's Farewell
English source:
Robert Burns
Kak veselo, otchajanno
Sae rantingly, sae wantonly,
Shjol k viselice on,
sae dauntingly gaed he;
V poslednij chas, v poslednij pljas
he played a spring and danced it round,
Pustilsja Makferson.
below the gallows tree.
Privet vam, tjur'my korolja,
Farewell, ye dungeons dark and strong,
Gde zhizn' vlachat raby!
The wretch’s destinie:
Menja segodnja zhdjot petlja
Macpherson’s time will not be long
I gladkije stolby.
on yonder gallows tree.
V poljakh vojny, sredi mechej,
Oh, what is death but parting breath?
Vstrechal ja smert' ne raz,
On mony a bloody plain
No ne drozhal ja pered nej, -
I’ve dared his face, and in this place
Ne drognu i sejchas!
I scorn him yet again!
Razbejte stal' moikh okov,
Untie these bands from off my hands,
Vernite moj dospekh,
and bring to me my sword,
Pust' vydut desjat' smel'chakov,
and there’s no a man in all Scotland,
Ja odoleju vsekh!
but I’ll brave him at a word.
Ja zhizn' svoju provjol v boju,
I’ve lived a life of sturt and strife;
Umru ne ot mecha.
I die by treacherie :
Izmennik predal zhizn' moju
Verjovke palacha.
I pered smert'ju ob odnom
It burns my heart I must depart
Dusha moja grustit,
and not avenged be.
Chto za menja v kraju rodnom
Nikto ne otomstit.
Prosti, moj kraj! Ves' mir, proshchaj!
Now farewell light, thou sunshine bright,
Menja pojmali v set'.
And all beneath the sky!
No zhalok tot, kto smerti zhdjot,
May coward shame distain his name,
Ne smeja umeret'!
The wretch that dares not die!
Tak veselo, otchajanno
Shjol k viselice on.
V poslednij chas, v poslednij pljas
Pustilsja Makferson.
Composer
Dmitri Shostakovich
Dmitri Shostakovich was a Russian composer and pianist. He achieved fame in the Soviet Union, although later developed a more complex and difficult relationship with the government. As a composer, he combined a variety of different musical…
