Taras Shevchenko's poem "My Testament" (English translation by Alexander Jardine Hunter)

       Taras Shevchenko

        MY TESTAMENT

("Zapovit" / “Iak umru, to pokhovaite”
"Заповіт" / "Як умру, то поховайте")

Translated by Alexander Jardine Hunter

When J die, remember, lay me
Lowly in the silent tomb, 
Where the prairie stretches free, 
Sweet Ukraine, my cherished home.

There, ’mid meadows’ grassy sward, 
Dnieper's waters pouring 
May be seen and may be heard, 
Mighty in their roaring.

When from Ukraine waters bear
Rolling to the sea so far
Foeman’s blood, no longer there
Stay I where my ashes are.

Grass and hills I’ll leave and fly.
Unto throne of God I’ll go.
There in heaven to pray on high,
But, till then, no God I know.

Standing then about my grave,
Make ye haste, your fetters tear! 
Sprinkled with the foeman’s blood 
Then shall rise your freedom fair.

Then shall spring a kinship great, 
This a family new and free. 
Sometimes in your glorious state. 
Gently, kindly, speak of me.