Russian Lyrics

AT KHAKI LI

1.

At khaki li ve'ekhzor
Akh khaki heytev.
At khaki li gam bikdor
Misagrir halev.
At khaki be'et kforim,
At khaki be'khom.
At khaki et akherim
Yishtak'khoo ad tom.

At khaki, khaki, ve'loo
Lo yavo mikhtav.
At khaki im gam yila'oo
Hamkhakim lashav.(X2)

2.

At khaki li ve'ekhzor,
Ve'aroor hasakh
Beveetkha gmoora lemor:
"Met hoo... veneeshkakh..."
Ya'ameenoo em va'av,
Ki eynenee khai'
yee'afoo khakot lashav
kol ekhay, re'ai.

Ve'yeeshtoo kos yayin mar,
Zekher neeshmati...
At khaki vekos nim'har
Al na, al tishti! (X2)

3.

At khaki li ve'ekhzor,
Khai ekhzora, khai!
Hemma yishta'oo lemor
"Nes hoo bevadai."
Hemma lo kheekoo, ve'eikh
Bein tavin nafsham
Ki rak at bekhakotekh
Hitzaltini sham.

Eikh nitzalti--zot neda
Rak ani ve'at
ki yoter mikol adam
Lekhakot yadat. (X2)

K.M. Simonov
Zhdi menya, i ya vernus' (Wait for me and I'll return), 1941

Zhdi menya, i ya vernus'.
Tol'ko ochen' zhdi,
Zhdi, kogda navodyat grust'
Zheltye dozhdi,
Zhdi, kogda snega metut,
Zhdi, kogda zhara,
Zhdi, kogda drugih ne zhdut,
Pozabyv vchera.

Zhdi, kogda iz dal'nih mest
Pisem ne pridet,
Zhdi, kogda uzh nadoest
Vsem, kto vmeste zhdet.

Zhdi menya, i ya vernus',
Ne zhelai dobra
Vsem, kto znaet naizust',
Chto zabyt' pora.
Pust' poveryat syn i mat'
V to, chto net menya,
Pust' druz'ya ustanut zhdat',
Syadut u ognya,
Vyp'yut gor'koe vino
Na pomin dushi...
Zhdi. I s nimi zaodno
Vypit' ne speshi.

Zhdi menya, i ya vernus',
Vsem smertyam nazlo.
Kto ne zhdal menya, tot pust'
Skazhet: - Povezlo.
Ne ponyat', ne zhdavshim im,
Kak sredi ognya
Ozhidaniem svoim
Ty spasla menya.
Kak ya vyzhil, budem znat'
Tol'ko my s toboi,-
Prosto ty umela zhdat',
Kak nikto drugoi.

Translation

WAIT FOR ME

1.

Wait for me and I'll return
But wait well.
Wait for me even in gloom
From the clouding of the heart.
Wait for me in the time of frost,
Wait for me in heat,
Wait for me while others
Are forgotten altogether.

Wait for me, wait, and though
No letter comes.
Wait even if they weary
Those who wait in vain. (X2)

2.

Wait for me and I'll return,
And be damned he who says
With perfect assurance:
"He is dead... and Forgotten..."
Mother and father will believe
That I am not alive,
All my mates, my brothers
Will tire of waiting in vain.

And they will drink a glass of bitter wine,
In memory of my soul...
You, wait for me and from that rash glass
Please don't, don't drink! (X2)

3.

Wait for me and I'll return,
Alive I'll return, alive!
They will be astounded, saying:
"It is a miracle, for certain."
They did not wait, and how
Might their soul fathom
That you alone in waiting
Saved me there.

How I was saved--this we will know
Only I and you
For more than any other
You knew to wait. (X2)