Farewell, farewell, unwashed Russia

Farewell, farewell, unwashed Russia ⧼written by⧽ Mikhail Lermontov ⧼translated by⧽ Dmitri N. Smirnov

Poem of 1840 or 1841. Source: Site «Poezia.ru»

Smirnov: * * * Farewell, farewell, unwashed Russia, The land of slaves, the land of lords, And you, blue uniforms of gendarmes, And you, obedient to them folks. Perhaps beyond Caucasian mountains I’ll hide myself from your pashas, From their eyes that are all-seeing, From their ever hearing ears. 1840 or 1841 (Transl. 20 Nov. 2006, St Albans)

Lermontov: * * * Прощай, немытая Россия, Страна рабов, страна господ, И вы, мундиры голубые, И ты, им преданный народ. Быть может, за стеной Кавказа Сокроюсь от твоих пашей, От их всевидящего глаза, От их всеслышащих ушей. 1840 или 1841

Notes

The poem was written between 1840 and 1841 in connection with his exile to the Caucasus.

The given translation (see above) is an attempt to preserve the rhythm of the original.

A literal translation is as follows:

“Farewell, unwashed Russia,

land of slaves, land of lords,

and you, blue uniforms,

and you, people, obedient to them.

Perhaps beyond the ridge of Caucasus

I will hide from your pashas,

from their all-seeing eye,

from their all-hearing ears.”

First published in "Russian Archive" 1890, book 3, No. 11. page 375.

/ Впервые в «Русском архиве» (1890, кн. 3, № 11, стр. 375).

Links — Ссылки

• «Прощай, немытая Россия…» на Викитеке

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© Dmitri N. Smirnov. Translation. Can be reproduced if non-commercial.

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