Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: За ложь меня предавших губ

  1. #1
    Подающий надежды оратор
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Scheveningen
    Posts
    30
    Rep Power
    13

    За ложь меня предавших губ

    How to translate this line from a Akhmatova poem?

    За ложь меня предавших губ

    To evil me faithfull lips (doesn't make sense, no matter how long I look at it)

    Thanks
    Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

  2. #2
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Moscow, Russia
    Posts
    1,437
    Rep Power
    15
    For the lies of the lips, that betrayed me
    "Happy new year, happy new year
    May we all have a vision now and then
    Of a world where every neighbour is a friend"

  3. #3
    Подающий надежды оратор
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Scheveningen
    Posts
    30
    Rep Power
    13
    Thanks Friendy!

    But I still don't get it completely, for предавнный means faitfull,... where does the betrayal come from?
    Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

  4. #4
    Moderator Lampada's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    СССР -> США
    Posts
    18,025
    Rep Power
    35
    Стихи Ахматовой, переведенные на английский язык.

    http://www.poetryloverspage.com/poets/a ... a_ind.html

    http://www.kulichki.com/poems/Poets/aa/Eng/aa.html
    "...Важно, чтобы форум оставался местом, объединяющим людей, для которых интересны русский язык и культура. ..." - MasterАdmin (из переписки)



  5. #5
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Moscow, Russia
    Posts
    1,437
    Rep Power
    15
    Yes, "преданный" means "faithful" but "предавший" means "the one that betrayed", it comes from the verb "предавать" which means "to betray".
    "Happy new year, happy new year
    May we all have a vision now and then
    Of a world where every neighbour is a friend"

  6. #6
    Подающий надежды оратор
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Scheveningen
    Posts
    30
    Rep Power
    13
    Yeah Akhmatovas poetry is beautiful, a reason for studying Russian alone!
    Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

  7. #7
    Подающий надежды оратор
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Scheveningen
    Posts
    30
    Rep Power
    13
    Ah, now I get it,... in the end Russian does make sense!

    Thanks again
    Too weird to live, and too rare to die.

  8. #8
    Властелин
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    1,348
    Rep Power
    14
    Interestingly the words for "the one who is faithful" and "the one who was betrayed" coincide (although the former would be "predannaja emu" and the latter "predannaja im", so the case agreement differs).

Similar Threads

  1. Меня - у меня etc
    By Black Cat in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: February 24th, 2010, 09:21 PM
  2. Нас=Меня?
    By sperk in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: January 3rd, 2009, 10:23 PM
  3. не я или меня?
    By tohca in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: August 19th, 2008, 03:30 PM
  4. у меня нет....
    By jz12 in forum Grammar and Vocabulary
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: July 8th, 2006, 03:31 PM
  5. Все на меня
    By ryzhevolosaja in forum Translate This!
    Replies: 8
    Last Post: November 16th, 2005, 01:06 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  


Russian Lessons                           

Russian Tests and Quizzes            

Russian Vocabulary