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Love and Parting

Love and Parting

Music: Isaac Shvarts (Schwarz)
Lyrics: Bulat Okudzhava
From a feature film “We weren’t Married at Church”

This translation is close to literal to help you better understand and  learn new vocabulary.

It’s yet to be sewn, your wedding gown,
and [church] choir  in our honor won’t sing...
Meanwhile the time is rushing [us]   —  a dare-devil  teamster, —
and the horses are [asking/begging] eager to fly.

Oh, (I) only (wish) the troika would stay its course (run the laps)
(If only) a jingle bell would not quiet down under the bow (of the troika hitch)...
Two eternal girl-friends — love and parting  —
don’t roam/walk about one without the other.

We ourselves opened up the gateway, we ourselves
the happy/ lucky troika [horses] harnessed,
and here already something is shining before us,
but something has faded afar/ far away.

A sacred science [to learn] — to [truly] hear each other / listen to one another
through the wind, and for all the times [to come]
Two eternal wanderers — love and parting —
will share with us in full.

The further/longer we live, the years (get) shorter
and the sweeter [it is to hear] voices of friends.
Oh, (if only) a slay-bell would not quiet down under the bow [of the troika hitch],
eyes (if only) looked right into [your] eyes!

Either (sea)shore  — or open sea, either sun  — or blizzard,
either angels  — or crows/ ravens...
Two eternal pathways/ roads  — love and parting  —
run through the heart of mine.

Tags: musiclanguage

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Love and Separation
  • January 01, 2019

Love and Separation

In this issue’s Uchites, we look at a popular song by the poet Bulat Okudzhava and the composer Isaac Schwartz. It is about love and separation.

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