Birches (Translation)

Not sure from where, from whom, or what this group is, but here's a nice music video and my translation.

[[It is 17:00 in Moscow.

The group Ljube says hello to the precinct officer from the village Anisovka, senior lieutenant Kravtsov, wishes him good luck in his not-easy work and performs his favorite song.]]

Of what cause do in Russia the birches sound so?
Of what cause do white-stump'd understand every matter?
By the roads, leaned along with the wind they would stand
And the leaves they would sadly surrender.

I will follow the road, I am happy with space,
Maybe this will be all that I learn in my lifetime.
Of what cause do the unhappy flowers fall down,
The soul under my shirt calming down?

On my heart it is hot, and again it is hot.
And again, and again, with no answer.
And the leaf from the birch on my shoulder just fell,
It, like I, tore away from the branches.

We will sit for the road, my darling, with you,
Understand, I'll be back, do not weep, there's no need to.
The old lady will wave her hand to me good bye,
And the gate, behind me, will be closed.

Of what cause do in Russia the birches sound so?
Of what cause is so well my accordion playing?
Like the wind, fingers will pass the keys in a flash,
But the last one, ahh, just sinks down...

On my heart it is hot, and again it is hot.
And again, and again, with no answer.
And the leaf from the birch on my shoulder just fell,
It, like I, tore away from the branches.

On my heart it is hot, and again it is hot.
And again, and again, with no answer.
And the leaf from the birch on my shoulder just fell,
It, like I, tore away from the branches.

Prediction

(A poem that I wrote today because I was bored. Unusually easy, considering that the metering was new for me.)

The sun will shine tomorrow
And overcast on Friday,
But what about friendships,
How will they be decided?

When I come back for Winter,
Whom will I meet embracing,
And who will stand beside me,
But oppositely facing?

For when the nest is bustling,
New social strands created,
Then dormant threads are broken
As less and less they're weighted.

And when a group of people,
Already so misguided,
Spread that idea to others,
They'll also come decided,

Determined to partition
From me and those few others
Who would remain beside me,
Who would remain my brothers.

And more of the rebellers,
Though none at fault for thinking,
Will join and join together
And push us from the linking.

And we will have to exile;
The nest for us will vanish
For our great disappointment,
Neigh one who dares banish.

But hopefully will strong be
Our ties to one another,
That dozens disappearing
Won't part, but join us rather.

And hopefully we will not
Regret much of our leaving
That we'll be strong together,
In others not believing.

And You, season not passed us,
May you stay with me always,
For you don't know the people
Who gossip in the hallways.

Translation

Here is a second draft of a translation into English of a Russian poem: "Ballade of a smoke-filled carriage" ("Баллада о прокуренном вагоне") by Alexander Kochetkov, 1935. The original is best enjoyed with soundtrack from the Russian movie Irony of Destiny where the poem appears.

As for the translation, I tried to keep the rhythm and choice of words to the best of my ability. I did not preserve the rhyme.

How painful, dear, it is, how awkward,
Rooted in earth, entwined in branches;
How painful, dear, it is, how awkward,
To split in two beneath a saw.
My injured heart will not recover,
But empty out in purest tears;
My injured heart will not recover,
But empty out in flaming sap.

Long as I live, I will be with you:
Spirit and blood cannot be parted;
Long as I live, I will be with you
For love and death exist beside.
You will bear with yourself, my loved one,
You will bear with you everywhere,
You will bear with you everywhere
Your dear house, your cherished land.

But what if I have nothing with me
To shield me from unhealing sorrow;
But what if I have nothing with me
To shield from darkness and from cold?
There is reunion after parting;
Do not forget of me, my loved one;
There is reunion after parting;
We will come back, both, you and I.

And if, without a trace, I vanish;
Too short be light of daylight falling;
And if, without a trace, I vanish
Beyond the stars, galactic dust?
Then I will pray for you, my loved one,
That the celestial path will guide you;
Then I will pray for you, my loved one,
That you come back, come home unharmed.

Thrashed up inside a smoke-filled carriage,
He turned to homeless and humble;
Thrashed up inside a smoke-filled carriage,
He was half-crying, half-asleep,
And on one downgrade, sharply turning,
The cars rolled terribly and twisted;
And on one downgrade, sharply turning,
The train ripped wheels up from wet tracks...

Unhuman and unyielding power,
In one amass all living cripling;
Unhuman and unyielding power
Tossed out the earthly from the earth.
And no being was protected
By the long-promised reuniting,
And no being was protected
By hands that beckoned from afar.

Not for a moment part with loved ones,
Not for a moment part with loved ones,
Not for a moment part with loved ones,
With all your blood grow into them;
And always say farewell forever,
And always say farewell forever,
And always say farewell forever
When for a second you must leave!

Cipher challenge

Here is a challenge: decipher the following:

In pie su pase lusu sai pase lusu ilu
Shangamei goea ile ou rieae ail
In pie su leo ila sai leo ila ilu
Shangamei goea ile ou poala

Nilgae rasai su sai peo punilue
Pui esu riu sea sai goala
En teu lucaea eu silocoil guse
Su asu seicue osis eolu loca arilu ereu seoil

Ca oceca lou shi gaeo eoge coil
Shangamei sil gus ea cuesila
Puse arasea sai ileo sili sane
Sil guea ilie lususilelei gaea

Ca oceca lou shi gaeo eoge coil
Shangamei sil gusea cuesila
Puse ariea sai ileo egesila
Lucoari silea gaeo coge silo eoil

E-mail me with the answer; do not post it here. There may be a prize for the winner. (If I have shared keys with you in the recent past, you may not be eligible.)