U.R. Bowie on Russian Literature: робкое дыханье

Saturday, June 21, 2025

Translations: The Bestest of the Best, FIFTEEN, Afanasy Fet, "Шёпот, робкое дыханье," WHISPERING AND TIMID BREATHING

[Note from U.R. Bowie: I am re-posting what I consider the best of my translations of Russian poetry]

Afanasy Fet
(1820-1892)

Шёпот, робкое дыханье,
           Трели соловья,
Серебро и колыханье
           Сонного ручья,

Свет ночной, ночные тени,
           Тени без конца,
Ряд волшебных изменений
           Милого лица,

В дымных тучках пурпур розы,
           Отблеск янтаря,
И лобзания, и слёзы,
           И заря, заря!..

1850

  Literal Translation

Whispering, timid breathing,
                The trills of a nightingale,
The silver and the swaying
                Of a sleepy brook,

Nocturnal light, the shadows of night,
                Shadows without end,
A lot of magical changes
                Of a dear face,

In the hazy clouds the purple of a rose,
                The reflection of amber,
And kisses, and tears,
                And the dawn, the dawn!

Literary Translation/Imitation by U.R. Bowie

Whispering and timid breathing,

Nightingale’s trill,

Silver sheen of waters seething,

Sleepy brooklet’s dishabille.

Noctilucence, nocturne shades,

Lengthy shadows without end,

Alternating glow cascades,

Charm to dear face lends,

On hazy clouds a rose-pink stain,

In answer amber’s antiphon,

And kisses, weeping, silent pain,

And then the dawn, the dawn!

Date of Translation: January, 2019

Saturday, January 26, 2019

AFANASY FET, Translation into English of the Poem "Шепот, робкое дыханье" "WHISPERING AND TIMID BREATHING"

Vasily Polenov, "Pond with Overgroth," 1879

Vasily Polenov, "Birch-Lined Pathway"

Afanasy Fet
(1820-1892)

1850

Literal Translation (буквальный перевод)

Whispering, timid breathing,

The trills of a nightingale,

The silver and the swaying

Of a sleepy brook,

Nocturnal light, the shadows of night,

Shadows without end,

A lot of magical changes

Of a dear face,

In the hazy clouds the purple of a rose,

The reflection of amber,

And kisses, and tears,

And the dawn, the dawn!

Literary Translation by James Greene

Sighing and song of the nightingale,

And shy murmuring,

Shimmer and silver

Of the sleepy stream,

And light of the dark,

And endless shadows,

And magical changes

In your face,

In smoky clouds the purple of a rose,

And halo of amber;