Music to learn Russian
Lyrics in Russian + English translation
Song: Пе́сня про за́йцев/Song about Hares| Singers: Yuri Nikulin
Learning Russian songs by heart is a great way to improve your language skills. Watch the song, read the translation and pay close attention to the highlighted words. The metaphorical "Song about Hares" appears in the Soviet comedy movie "Diamond Arm" (1969). It is about the group of hares who are boldly mowing the mythological herb called tryn-herb (Russian: tryn-trava), hoping to become braver. In Russian, the expression "tryn-trava" can also refer to a "trifle". "Всё трын-трава" (It's all tryn-trava) means it's all the same, or when somebody doesn't care at all. That's exactly what hares are repeating in the song: "we don't care":
Russian lyrics and English translation
В тёмно-си́нем лесу́, где трепе́щут оси́ны,
Где с дубо́в-колдуно́в облета́ет листва́,
На поля́не траву́ за́йцы в по́лночь коси́ли
И при э́том напева́ли стра́нные слова́:
In the dark blue forest, where aspens are quivering,
Where from sorcerer oaks the foliage is falling,
In a glade hares were mowing the grass at midnight
And at the same time were humming strange words:
А нам всё равно́, а нам всё равно́,
Пусть бои́мся мы во́лка и сову́.
Де́ло есть у нас - в са́мый жу́ткий час
Мы волше́бную ко́сим трын-траву́.
And we don't care, and we don't care,
Though we are afraid of a wolf and an owl.
We have business to do - at the most terrible hour
We are mowing the magical "tryn" herb.
А дубы́-колдуны́ что́-то ше́пчут в тума́не.
У пога́ных боло́т чьи-то те́ни встаю́т.
Ко́сят за́йцы траву́, трын-траву́ на поля́не
И от стра́ха всё быстре́е пе́сенку пою́т:
And sorcerer oaks are whispering something in the fog.
By the foul swamps somebody's shadows are rising.
The hares are mowing the grass, the "tryn" herb in the glade
And out of fear quicker and quicker are singing their little song:
А нам всё равно́, а нам всё равно́,
Пусть бои́мся мы во́лка и сову́.
Де́ло есть у нас - в са́мый жу́ткий час
Мы волше́бную ко́сим трын-траву́.
And we don't care, and we don't care,
Though we are afraid of a wolf and an owl.
We have business to do - at the most terrible hour
We are mowing the magical "tryn" herb.
А нам всё равно́, а нам всё равно́,
Твёрдо ве́рим мы в дре́внюю молву́:
Хра́брым ста́нет тот, кто три ра́за в год
В са́мый жу́ткий час ко́сит трын-траву́.
And we don't care, and we don't care,
We strongly (firmly) believe in the ancient rumour:
That one will become brave who three times per year
At the most terrible hour is mowing the "tryn" herb
А нам всё равно́, а нам всё равно́,
Ста́нем мы храбре́й и отва́жней льва.
Устои́м хоть раз в са́мый жу́ткий час -
Все напа́сти нам бу́дут трын-трава́.
And we don't care, and we don't care,
We'll become braver and more courageous than a lion.
We'll stand against this (resist) at least once at the most terrible hour -
All the misfortunes will be a trifle to us.
Words and grammar
- тёмно-си́ний: dark blue "Си́ний" means "dark blue" as opposed to "голубо́й" (= "light blue"). However, if you add "тёмно-..." it'll make the colour even darker. It can be used with any colours, for example: тёмно-зелёный = dark green
- трепета́ть: quiver/tremble
- оси́на: aspen
- дуб: oak
- колду́н: sorcerer/wizard "Дубы́-колдуны́" = "sorcerer oaks". It is an allusion to the power and magic associated with these big and strong trees.
- облета́ть - облететь: (here about leaves): to fall (down) Ли́стья облете́ли с де́рева = The tree shed (lost) its leaves
- листва́: foliage
- поля́на: glade/clearing
- по́лночь: midnight В по́лночь = at midnight
- коси́ть: to mow (to cut grass with a tool with a blade (scythe) or a machine) In the song the hares we mowing the herb with the scythe
- при э́том: at the same time/along with this/meanwhile; in this connection
- напева́ть - напе́ть: 1. to hum; to sing quietly; 2. to reproduce the motive of a song
- всё равно́: 1. it's all the same; it doesn't matter; it doesn't make any difference/ (smb.) don't care 2. still; anyway Нам (dative) всё равно́ = we don't care/it's all the same to us
- пусть: 1. though/even if 2. let
- волк: wolf
- сова́: owl
- де́ло: business/things to do
- жу́ткий: terrible/terrifying Са́мый жу́ткий = the most terrible
- волше́бный: magical
- трын-трава́: 1. "tryn" herb 2. trifle Трава́: grass/herb. "Трын-трава́" is the mythological herb. In Russian, the expression "всё трын-трава" (it's all tryn-trava) can also refer to a "trifle": it's all the same, or when somebody doesn't care at all/doesn't give a damn
- шепта́ть: to whisper
- тума́н: fog
- пога́ный: foul; filthy; nasty
- боло́то: swamp/bog/marsh
- встава́ть - встать: to get up/rise/stand up
- страх: fear От стра́ха (=со стра́ха (genitive)) : out of fear/because of fear
- бы́стро: quickly Быстре́е: (comparative) quicker. Всё быстре́е: quicker and quicker (here "всё" is used for an emphasis)
- пе́сенка: little or funny song Diminutive of "пе́сня"
- твёрдо: (adverb) firmly
- дре́вний: ancient
- молва́: rumour; common talk
- хра́брый: brave/courageous Храбре́й (=храбре́е): (comparative) braver
- станови́ться - стать: to become Cтать хра́брым (instrumental): to become brave. Стать храбре́е: to become braver
- отва́жный: courageous/brave Отва́жней (=отва́жнее): (comparative) more courageous/braver. Отва́жней льва = more courageous than a lion
- лев: lion
- устоя́ть: (perfective) 1. (literally) remain on one's feet/keep one's balance; to stand firm 2. to stand (against something)/to resist
- хоть раз: at least once
- напа́сть (pl. напа́сти): (noun) misfortune; disaster
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