In 1984 in the Soviet Union was released film "A Cruel Romance" based on the play "The Dowerless Girl" (thank you, Valery, for the title--I spent about half an hour trying to find out if this work was translated into English and under what title, but couldn't) by Alexandr Ostrovsky. The film immediately became classics. One of the songs, a romance to be exact, "That's what I say before I go" (А на последок я скажу) with amazing lyrics by Bella Akhmadulina became especially famous. It had it all--perfect acting by Larisa Guzeeva, wonderful singing by Valentina Ponomaryova, and touching music by Andrey Petrov--but still the lyrics was the jewel crown of this romance. Looking for this poem on the Internet, not only did I find it but also discovered that the romance was available on YouTube. It was a very emotional moment, getting twenty five years back in time while listening to the song and watching a fragment from the film. I couldn't resist posting it today. Search for the English translation of the poem didn't bring any results, so I had no choice but translate it myself as close as possible to the original, doing my best to keep the rhythm and, where feasible, rhymes. The translation is still work in progress and open to suggestions if there are lines that need editing.
Below is a version of the poem made by a professional translator working for UN. It can be found in the comments to my blog, but I post it here just to make it readily available for the readers. Unfortunately, I don't have this person's name to give him a credit for his work.
That's what I say before I go farewell, don't feel obliged to love I'm going mad and rising up to a high degree of pure madness your way of loving - it destroyed me but destroying me is not important your way of loving - it destroyed me how awkwardly you destroyed me though so that's what I say before I go..... My mind is still alive its still alive but I've got no strength to feel alive smells and sounds are fading away So that's what I say before I go
August 20, 2009
By request from a reader I also posted the Russian original of the poem.
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А напоследок я скажу.
А напоследок я скажу:
Прощай, любить не обязуйся.
С ума схожу.
Иль восхожу к высокой степени безумства.
Как ты любил? Ты пригубил погибели.
Не в этом дело.
Как ты любил? Ты погубил.
Но погубил так неумело.
А напоследок я скажу...
Работу малую висок еще вершит.
Но пали руки,
И стайкою, наискосок,
Уходят запахи и звуки.
А напоследок я скажу:
Прощай, любить не обязуйся.
С ума схожу. Иль восхожу
К высокой степени безумства.
Так напоследок я скажу... ****************************
October 12, 2009
In an attempt to bring this poem as close as possible to English readers, I have completed
one more translation where vocabulary and imagery of the original have been prioritized
over the rhythm and rhymes. And again, because this is not a work of a professional
translator, this amateur try is just an invitation to continue efforts to eventually create a
nearly perfect English version of this poem.
And that’s what I say before I go—
Farewell, don’t promise me to love (me).
I’m going mad.
Or I’m ascending to a high degree of madness.
What was your love like? Your lips just touched the death.
