Text & Translation
Stolby
Russian source:
Konstantin Balmont
Stolby iz kamnja. Čislo ich vosem’.
Prichodjat často sjuda raby.
I sonmy junych nesut groby.
Blednejut zimy. I šepčet osen’.
Poroj i zveri sjuda dojdut.
Poroj primčitsja sjuda i ptica.
I zatoskujut. Čto delat’ tut?
Pojdut, zabrodjat i upadut,
I upadut, ustav stremit’sja,
Ustav kružit’sja.
Pri more čërnom stojat stolby.
Ot dnej dodnevnych. Čislo ich grozno.
Čislo ich vešče sred’ čisl sud’by.
I ich značen’e na krik mol’by:
„Navek. Bezglasnost’.‟
„Vraždebnost’.‟
„Pozdno. Pozdno.‟
Columns
English translation ©
Philip Ross Bullock
Stone columns. There are eight of them in number.
Slaves often come here,
And hosts of youths carrying coffins.
The winters grow pale. And autumn whispers.
Sometimes even beasts come this far.
Sometimes even a bird flies swiftly in.
And they are oppressed by sadness. Why are they here?
The come, they wander here and fall to the ground,
They fall, weary from their efforts,
Weary from their wanderings.
Columns stand by the black sea.
From time immemorial. A terrifying number of them.
There number is prophetic ‘midst the numbers of fate.
And entreating cries convey their meaning:
‘For ever. Silence.’
‘Enmity.’
‘Too late. Too late.’
Stolby
Russian source:
Konstantin Balmont
Columns
English source:
Philip Ross Bullock
Pri more čërnom stojat stolby.
Columns stand by the black sea.
Stolby iz kamnja. Čislo ich vosem’.
Stone columns. There are eight of them in number.
Prichodjat často sjuda raby.
Slaves often come here,
I sonmy junych nesut groby.
And hosts of youths carrying coffins.
Blednejut zimy. I šepčet osen’.
The winters grow pale. And autumn whispers.
Poroj i zveri sjuda dojdut.
Sometimes even beasts come this far.
Poroj primčitsja sjuda i ptica.
Sometimes even a bird flies swiftly in.
I zatoskujut. Čto delat’ tut?
And they are oppressed by sadness. Why are they here?
Pojdut, zabrodjat i upadut,
The come, they wander here and fall to the ground,
I upadut, ustav stremit’sja,
They fall, weary from their efforts,
Ustav kružit’sja.
Weary from their wanderings.
Pri more čërnom stojat stolby.
Columns stand by the black sea.
Ot dnej dodnevnych. Čislo ich grozno.
From time immemorial. A terrifying number of them.
Čislo ich vešče sred’ čisl sud’by.
There number is prophetic ‘midst the numbers of fate.
I ich značen’e na krik mol’by:
And entreating cries convey their meaning:
„Navek. Bezglasnost’.‟
‘For ever. Silence.’
„Vraždebnost’.‟
‘Enmity.’
„Pozdno. Pozdno.‟
‘Too late. Too late.’
Composer
Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Sergeyevich Prokofiev was a Soviet composer, pianist and conductor. As the creator of acknowledged masterpieces across numerous musical genres, he is regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century.
Poet
Konstantin Balmont
Konstantin Dmitriyevich Balmont was a Russian symbolist poet and translator.