Mikhail Lermontov(1814-1841) is considered to be one of Russia’s greatest romantic poets. Only 26 years’ old when he died, Lermontov had already established himself as a brilliant and gifted poet and thinker, prose writer, and playwright, the successor of Pushkin, and the founder of Russian psychological prose.
Information about the poet and poem
Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841) is considered to be one of Russia’s greatest romantic poets. Only 26 years’ old when he died, Lermontov had already established himself as a brilliant and gifted poet and thinker, prose writer, and playwright, the successor of Pushkin, and the founder of Russian psychological prose.
The Original Poem
Нет, не тебя́ так пы́лко я люблю́,
Не для меня́ красы́ твое́й блиста́нье;
Люблю́ в тебе́ я про́шлое страда́нье
И мо́лодость поги́бшую мою́.
Когда́ поро́й я на тебя́ смотрю́,
В твои́ глаза́ вника́я до́лгим взо́ром,
Таи́нственным я за́нят разгово́ром,
Но не с тобо́й я се́рдцем говорю́.
Я говорю́ с подру́гой ю́ных дней,
В твои́х черта́х ищу́ черты́ други́е,
В уста́х живы́х уста́ давно́ немы́е,
В глаза́х ого́нь уга́снувших оче́й.
A Literal Translation
No it’ not you I love so fervently,
The brilliance of your beauty is not for me;
I love in you my past suffering
And my perished youth.
When at times I look at you
Into your eyes penetrating with my long gaze,
I’m engaged in a secret conversation
But it’ not with you I am speaking through my heart.
I am talking with a friend of the days of my youth
In your features I am searching for the other’ features
In your living lips – the lips long since silent
In your eyes – the fire of those faded eyes
A More "Poetic" Translation
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