London

London

Tuesday, March 9, 2021

          Taras Shevchenko's poem "My Testament"

            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.

 

 

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