If you would like to use our texts and translations, please click here for more information.
Text
Potomki 'The descendants'
Russian source:
Sasha Chorny
Potomki.
Nashi predki lezli v kleti i sheptalis´ tam ne raz:
‘Tugo, brattsï … vidno, deti budut zhit´ vol´gotney nas’.
Deti vïrosli. I eti lezli v kleti v groznïy
chas i vzdïkhali:
‘Nashi deti vstretyat solntse posle nas.’
Nïnche tak zhe, kak voveki, utesheniye odno:
Nashi deti budut v Mekke, yesli nam ne suzhdeno.
Dazhe sroki predskazali: kto let dvesti,
kto pyat´ sot,
A poka leshi v pechali i mïchi, kak idiot.
Razukrashennïye duli, mir umït, prechesan, mil …
Let chrez dvesti! Chyorta v stule! Razve ya
Mafusail?
Ya, kak filin na oblomkakh perelomannïkh bogov.
V nerodivshikhsya potomkakh net mne brat´yev i
vragov.
Ya khochu nemnozhko sveta dlya sebya, poka ya zhiv;
Ot portnogo do poeta vsem ponyaten moy prizïv …
A potomki … pust´ potomki, ispolnyaya zhrebiy svoy
I klyanya svoi potyomki, lupyat v stenku golovoy!
Nashi predki lezli v kleti i sheptalis´ tam ne raz:
‘Tugo, brattsï … vidno, deti budut zhit´ vol´gotney nas’.
Deti vïrosli. I eti lezli v kleti v groznïy
chas i vzdïkhali:
‘Nashi deti vstretyat solntse posle nas.’
Nïnche tak zhe, kak voveki, utesheniye odno:
Nashi deti budut v Mekke, yesli nam ne suzhdeno.
Dazhe sroki predskazali: kto let dvesti,
kto pyat´ sot,
A poka leshi v pechali i mïchi, kak idiot.
Razukrashennïye duli, mir umït, prechesan, mil …
Let chrez dvesti! Chyorta v stule! Razve ya
Mafusail?
Ya, kak filin na oblomkakh perelomannïkh bogov.
V nerodivshikhsya potomkakh net mne brat´yev i
vragov.
Ya khochu nemnozhko sveta dlya sebya, poka ya zhiv;
Ot portnogo do poeta vsem ponyaten moy prizïv …
A potomki … pust´ potomki, ispolnyaya zhrebiy svoy
I klyanya svoi potyomki, lupyat v stenku golovoy!
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…
Poet
Sasha Chorny
Alexander Mikhailovich Glikberg (better known as Sasha Chorny 13 October 1880 – 5 July 1932), was a Russian poet, satirist and children's writer.