Once more the post has brought to me
("I znov meni ne pryvezla")
Once more the post has brought to me
Nothing, nothing from Ukrainel
For sinful deeds, it seems to be,
I suffer in this desert plain,
Punished fay w rathful God. To know
The reason why is not for me,
I do not even wish to know I ...
But my heart weeps bitterly
When T recall what used to be,
Those days, those happenings that once rolled,
Although not joyful, over me,
In my own Ukraine of old.
Of old, great oaths they swore, and vowed
To be my brothers and sisters dear,
Until we parted like a cloud,
Without the holy dew of tears.
So in m y old age, I go
Blaming again and cu — ...N o , Nol
From cholera they must have died —
Or else a scrap a t least they’d try
To send, of paper. . .
. . . Ah, from anxiety and grief,
That I might not watch them read
Their letters, there, beside the sea,
I’ll take a -walk along the seashore,
That I might distract nay sorrow,
Might recall my dear Ukraine,
Sing a well-loved song again.
Men would tell them, men betray me; —
Song has good advice to say me,
Will advise, distract my grief,
And speak to me the blessed truth.
Taras Shevchenko
"I znov meni ne pryvezla"
("І знов мені не привезла")
1848, Kosaral (Косарал)
Translated by Vera Rich
Original publication:
Taras Shevchenko. Zibrannja tvoriv: U 6 t. — K., 2003. — T. 2: Poezija 1847-1861. — S. 158; 654
Source:
Taras Shevchenko. Works. Volume 12. Shevchenko's poetry in translations.
Edited by Bolidan Krawciw. Printed by Mykola Denysiuk Printing Company
Chicago, Illinois — USA, 1963, page 62.