| Originale | Versione inglese di De Cate & Navrozov
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| СОЛДАТСКАЯ | A SOLDIER'S SONG |
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| Я полмира почти через злые бои | Through many a battle and half the world |
| прошагал и прополз с батальоном, | Behind my unit I trudged and crawled. |
| а обратно меня за заслуги мои | Then home they brought me, all sick and mauled, |
| с санитарным везли эшелоном. | In a special train of the medical corps. |
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| Подвезли на родимый порог, - | In a truck they delivered me to the door |
| на полуторке к самому дому. | Of my house, right on the threshold. |
| Я стоял - и немел, а над крышей дымок | I stared and was dumbstruck by what I saw: |
| поднимался не так - по-другому. | The smoke from the chimney seemed special. |
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| Окна словно боялись в глаза мне взглянуть. | The windows were bent on avoiding my eye, |
| И хозяйка не рада солдату - | And the lady inside didn't greet me as kin, |
| не припала в слезах на могучую грудь, | Didn't throw herself on my breast with a cry, |
| а руками всплеснула - и в хату. | Just threw up her hands and hurried back in. |
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| И залаяли псы на цепях. | And the dogs started baying and tugging the chain |
| Я шагнул в полутемные сени, | As I passed through the foyer's tight squeeze, |
| за чужое за что-то запнулся в сенях, | And I stumbled on something that wasn't even mine, |
| дверь рванул - подкосились колени. | Felt the door, and went weak in the knees. |
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| Там сидел за столом, да на месте моем, | There sat at the table, where I used to sit, |
| неприветливый новый хозяин. | The new man of the house, looking darkly. |
| И фуфайка на нем, и хозяйка при нем, - | And by him was a woman and why - that was it - |
| потому я и псами облаян. | That's why the dogs were barking. |
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| Это значит, пока под огнем | Man alive, I thought, while I was pulling my weight |
| я спешил, ни минуты не весел, | Under fire, denied all mercy and wisdom, |
| он все вещи в дому переставил моем | He moved things around my house in his way, |
| и по-своему все перевесил. | And changed them around as it pleased him. |
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| Мы ходили под богом, под богом войны, | While we prayed to God before every attack |
| артиллерия нас накрывала, | That his covering fire might not fail... |
| но смертельная рана нашла со спины | But this deadlier blow was struck from the back, |
| и изменою в сердце застряла. | And it stuck in the heart like betrayal. |
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| Я себя в пояснице согнул, | I doubled up, peasant-like, with a low bow, |
| силу воли позвал на подмогу: | I summoned all my wilt and I whispered: |
| «Извините, товарищи, что завернул | Well, excuse my mistake, I'll be going now, |
| по ошибке к чужому порогу». | It's the wrong house, friends, it must be. |
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| Дескать, мир да любовь вам, да хлеба на стол, | What I meant was: May you have peace and love |
| чтоб согласье по дому ходило... | In your house, and bread in the oven... |
| Ну, а он даже ухом в ответ не повел, | As for him, well, he didn't even look up, |
| вроде так и положено было. | As though what had happened was normal. |
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| Зашатался некрашенный пол, | The floorboards swayed as though bereft, |
| я не хлопнул дверьми, как когда-то, - | But I didn't slam the door as I did once - |
| только окна раскрылись, когда я ушел, | Only the windows opened as soon as I left, |
| и взглянули мне вслед виновато. | And gave me a guilty look from a distance. |
