Songs

Medlitel'no vlekutsja dni moi, 'Slowly drag my days'

by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

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Text & Translation

Medlitel'no vlekutsja dni moi, 'Slowly drag my days'
Russian source: Alexander Pushkin

Medlitel'no vlekutsja dni moi,
I kazhdyj mig v unylom serdce mnozhit
Vsjo goresti neschastlivoj ljubvi
I vse mechty bezumija trevozhit.

No ja molchu; ne slyshen ropot moj;
Ja sljozy l'ju; mne sljozy uteshen'e;
Moja dusha, plenennaja toskoj,
V nikh gor'koje nakhodit naslazhden'e.

O zhizni chas, leti, ne zhal' tebja,
Ischezni v t'me, pustoje prividen'e;
Mne dorogo ljubvi mojej muchen'e;
Puskaj umru, no pust' umru, ljubja!

Slowly drag my days
English translation © Sergey Rybin

Slowly drag my days,
Every moment amplifies in my withered heart
All woes of unrequited love
And agonizing madness troubles me.

But I am silent; my grumble is not heard;
I shed tears; tears are my consolation.
My soul, consumed by grief,
Finds bitter pleasure in tears.

Oh, illusion of life! Fly by, I don't value you,
Vanish in darkness, meaningless ghost;
I treasure the torment of my love,
Let me die, but let me die being in love!

Reprinted with permission from the LiederNet Archive

Medlitel'no vlekutsja dni moi, 'Slowly drag my days'
Russian source: Alexander Pushkin

Slowly drag my days
English source: Sergey Rybin

Medlitel'no vlekutsja dni moi,
Slowly drag my days,
I kazhdyj mig v unylom serdce mnozhit
Every moment amplifies in my withered heart
Vsjo goresti neschastlivoj ljubvi
All woes of unrequited love
I vse mechty bezumija trevozhit.
And agonizing madness troubles me.

No ja molchu; ne slyshen ropot moj;
But I am silent; my grumble is not heard;
Ja sljozy l'ju; mne sljozy uteshen'e;
I shed tears; tears are my consolation.
Moja dusha, plenennaja toskoj,
My soul, consumed by grief,
V nikh gor'koje nakhodit naslazhden'e.
Finds bitter pleasure in tears.

O zhizni chas, leti, ne zhal' tebja,
Oh, illusion of life! Fly by, I don't value you,
Ischezni v t'me, pustoje prividen'e;
Vanish in darkness, meaningless ghost;
Mne dorogo ljubvi mojej muchen'e;
I treasure the torment of my love,
Puskaj umru, no pust' umru, ljubja!
Let me die, but let me die being in love!

Composer

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov

Nikolai Andreyevich Rimsky-Korsakov was a Russian composer, best know for his orchestral compositions and his symphonic suite Scheherazade. He believed in developing a nationalistic style of classical music, and was influenced by Russian folk song…

Poet

Alexander Pushkin

Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (6 June 1799 – 10 February 1837) was a Russian poet, playwright, and novelist of the Romantic era who is considered by many to be the greatest Russian poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. Pushkin was born…

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