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Mar. 10, 2005 “Ochi Chernye”, literally “Black Eyes”, but usually entitled “Dark Eyes” in English, is a hauntingly beautiful traditional Russian Gypsy folksong dating from around 1800. It is not to be confused with a song of the same name by Dylan. There are two different versions, both of which I have transcribed into English letters and translated, below. Also, for each version I have given a link to a website where the Cyrillic (Russian) text can be seen and the melody can be heard. On the first link there is also an English-language version, which has little to do with the Russian. There are two ways to transcribe Russian. The first is to use a letter-for-letter correspondence. The second involves certain modifications in order to represent the pronunciation better. I have used the second. That’s why the conventional title given above is a little different from the same words in the lyrics of the song. Anyway, ‘j’ stands for English ‘y’, and ‘y’ for a Russian vowel (jerý) midway between the vowels of ‘bit’ and ‘boot’. ‘Kh’ is like German ‘ch’, and ‘ch’ is as in English. I have added the accent marks, which do not appear in Russian, but are very important nonetheless. OCHI CHERNYE (First Version) Melody and Cyrillic text: http://ingeb.org/songs/darkeyes.html (Transcription) Óchi chórnyje, óchi strásnyje! Óchi zhgúchije i prikrásnyje! Kak ljubljú ja vas! Kak bajúsj ya vas! Znatj uvídjil vas ja vdrobryi chas! Okh, njidáram vy glubjiný timnjéj! Vjízhu tráur vvas pa dushé majéi. Vjízhu plámja vvas ja pabjédnaje: Sazhzhinó na njom sjérttse bjédnaje. No nje grústjin ja, nje picháljin ja. Utjishýtiljna mnje sudjbá majá. Fsjo shta lúchshyva vzhýzni boch dal nam Vzhértvu addál ja agnjivým glazám. Translation Dark eyes, terrifying eyes! Eyes fiery and beautiful! How I love you! How I fear you! Indeed when I saw you, it was an unlucky hour! Oh, not without reason you are of the dark depths. I see mourning in you in my soul. I see conquering flame in you. My poor heart is afire with it! But I am not sad. I am not regretful. My fate is a comfort to me. Everything of the best in life that God gave us I have given as a sacrifice to the eyes of fire. OCHI CHERNYE (Second Version) Melody and Cyrillic text: http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/Sounds/ochi.html (Transcription) Óchi chórnyje, óchi strásnyje! Óchi zhgúchije i prikrásnyje! Kak ljubljú ja vas! Kak bajúsj ya vas! Znatj uvídjil vas ja vdrobryi chas! Óchi chórnyje, óchi plámjinny I manját anjí fstrány daljnyje, Gdje tsarjít ljubjófj, gdje tsarjít pakój, Gdje stradánja njét, gdje vrazhdý zaprjót. Óchi chórnyje, óchi strásnyje! Óchi zhgúchije i prikrásnyje! Kak ljubljú ja vas! Kak bajúsj ya vas! Znatj uvídjil vas ja vdrobryi chas! Nje fstrjichál by vas, nje stradál by tak, Ya by prózhyl zhyznj ulybájasja. Vy zgúbjilji minjá, óchi chórnyje, Unjisljí na vjek majó schástje. Óchi chórnyje, óchi strásnyje! Óchi zhgúchije i prikrásnyje! Kak ljubljú ja vas! Kak bajúsj ya vas! Znatj uvídjil vas ja vdrobryi chas! OCHI CHERNYE (Translation) Dark eyes, terrifying eyes! Eyes fiery and beautiful! How I love you! How I fear you! Indeed when I saw you, it was an unlucky hour! Dark eyes, flaming eyes! They even lure me to a distant country, Where love reigns, where peace reigns, Where there is no suffering, where enmity is outlawed. Dark eyes, terrifying eyes! Eyes fiery and beautiful! How I love you! How I fear you! Indeed when I saw you, it was an unlucky hour! If I had not met you, if I had not suffered so, I would have lived life smiling. You have destroyed me, dark eyes, Taken away for a century my happiness. Dark eyes, terrifying eyes! Eyes fiery and beautiful! How I love you! How I fear you! Indeed when I saw you, it was an unlucky hour! http://www.exordio.com/1939-1945/Sounds/ochi.html An English language-version can be seen at the following URL: http://www.341stbombgroup.org/music/darkeyes.htm ------------ About the author Thomas Keyes: I have written two books: A SOJOURN IN ASIA (non-fiction) and A TALE OF UNG (fiction), neither published so far. I have studied languages for years and traveled extensively on five continents. Email: udikeyes@yahoo.com Comment on this article here! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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