Songs
Tajnyje znaki
by Dmitri Shostakovich From Seven Romances on Poems of Alexander Blok (1967) Op. 127
Text & Translation
Tajnyje znaki
Russian source:
Aleksandr Blok
Na glukhoj, neprobudnoj stene.
Zolotyje i krasnyje maki
Nado mnoj tjagotejut vo sne.
Ukryvajus' v nochnyje peshchery
I ne pomnju surovykh chudes.
Na zare golubyje khimery
Smotrjat v zerkale jarkikh nebes.
Ubegaju v proshedshije migi,
Zakryvaju ot strakha glaza,
Na listakh kholodejushchej knigi -
Zolotaja devich'ja kosa.
Nado mnoj nebosvod uzhe nizok,
Chjornyj son tjagotejet v grudi.
Moj konec prednachertannyj blizok,
I vojna, i pozhar - vperedi...
Secret symbols
English translation ©
Julie Curtis
On the thick, impenetrable wall.
Golden and crimson poppies
Loom over me in my dreams.
I conceal myself in the caverns of night,
And no longer recall the solemn miracles.
At dawn pale blue chimeras
Gaze into the mirror of the bright heavens.
I will retreat into moments from the past,
Closing my eyes with terror.
On the pages of a book which grows cold –
A maiden’s golden tresses.
The canopy of the sky hangs low above me,
A dark dream lies oppressive in my heart.
My predestined end is near,
War and flames lie ahead...
Tajnyje znaki
Russian source:
Aleksandr Blok
Secret symbols
English source:
Julie Curtis
Razgorajutsja tajnyje znaki
The secret symbols burst into life
Na glukhoj, neprobudnoj stene.
On the thick, impenetrable wall.
Zolotyje i krasnyje maki
Golden and crimson poppies
Nado mnoj tjagotejut vo sne.
Loom over me in my dreams.
Ukryvajus' v nochnyje peshchery
I conceal myself in the caverns of night,
I ne pomnju surovykh chudes.
And no longer recall the solemn miracles.
Na zare golubyje khimery
At dawn pale blue chimeras
Smotrjat v zerkale jarkikh nebes.
Gaze into the mirror of the bright heavens.
Ubegaju v proshedshije migi,
I will retreat into moments from the past,
Zakryvaju ot strakha glaza,
Closing my eyes with terror.
Na listakh kholodejushchej knigi -
On the pages of a book which grows cold –
Zolotaja devich'ja kosa.
A maiden’s golden tresses.
Nado mnoj nebosvod uzhe nizok,
The canopy of the sky hangs low above me,
Chjornyj son tjagotejet v grudi.
A dark dream lies oppressive in my heart.
Moj konec prednachertannyj blizok,
My predestined end is near,
I vojna, i pozhar - vperedi...
War and flames lie ahead...
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
Aleksandr Blok
Alexander Alexandrovich Blok was a Russian lyrical poet, writer, publicist, playwright, translator, literary critic.