Thread: Сердце бил за миллион кусков.

Can somebody please help translate these phrases?

English to Russian:
My heart was shattered into a million pieces.
Сердце бил за миллион кусков.

My language teacher only teaches adult students.
Моя лингафонная преподавательнится преподаёт толка врослых студентов.

I am strong but sometimes I cry.
Я сильный но иногда я плачу.

Russian to English:
Может в этот раз сон перевернёт Судьбы страницу
Maybe this time (my) dream will turn destiny's page

Не зови ты мишку папой
Не тяни его за лапу
Это - мой видно грех
Папы есть не у всех

Don't call papa bear
Don't pull his paw
this my evident sin
Papa is not here at all

Я благодарен Вам за Вашу помощь.

English to Russian:
My heart was shattered into a million pieces.
Сердце бил за миллион кусков. -Моё сердце разбилось на миллион кусков.

My language teacher only teaches adult students.
Моя лингафонная преподавательнится преподаёт толка врослых студентов. - Моя преподавательница языка ( it is better if you specify what language) преподаёт только врослым студентам (учит только взрослых) .

I am strong but sometimes I cry.
Я сильный но иногда я плачу. -Я сильный, но иногда я плачу. (comma before но)

Russian to English:
Может в этот раз сон перевернёт Судьбы страницу
Maybe this time (my) dream will turn destiny's page

Не зови ты мишку папой
Не тяни его за лапу
Это - мой видно грех
Папы есть не у всех

Don't call papa bear
Don't pull his paw
this my evident sin
Papa is not here at all

Do not call а teddy-bear -"Father",
Do not pull his paw.
Apparently it is my sin
that not everyone has a father.

Thank you very much.

That last translation came from a song by Tatiana Bulanova.
The song is sadder than I thought.

Originally Posted by kwatts59

That last translation came from a song by Tatiana Bulanova.

Why do you not read some good poetry?

Я вас любил: любовь еще, быть может,
В душе моей угасла не совсем;
Но пусть она вас больше не тревожит;
Я не хочу печалить вас ничем.
Я вас любил безмолвно, безнадежно,
То робостью, то ревностью томим;
Я вас любил так искренно, так нежно,
Как дай вам бог любимой быть другим.
1829
By Александр Пушкин



I loved you; and perhaps I love you still,
The flame, perhaps, is not extinguished; yet
It burns so quietly within my soul,
No longer should you feel distressed by it.
Silently and hopelessly I loved you,
At times too jealous and at times too shy.
God grant you find another who will love you
As tenderly and truthfully as I.

Like everything I've seen by Pushkin, the rhyme and meter are transcendently beautiful, but don't you feel the значение is a little хитрое?

Originally Posted by waxwing

Like everything I've seen by Pushkin, the rhyme and meter are transcendently beautiful, but don't you feel the значение is a little хитрое?

What did you mean? Actually, the translation's meaning is slightly different from original one.

Well I get the impression that the writer is very humble about his (unrequited?) love - but in the last two lines one suddenly realizes that he considers his love to be a great gift that should not be discarded lightly.

I actually quite deliberately didn't read the translation at first, but only compared it with my own attempt. I found it difficult to get the true meaning of the last line, Как дай вам бог любимой быть другим. I don't get the grammar of it - why is it the infinitive 'быть'? Is this some way of expressing the future? Why not будет, in that case?

Also the line:
"То робостью, то ревностью томим"
was difficult. So does it mean that 'то X... то Y' = "at times X, at times Y" or "now X, now Y"? (logical from the literal 'then X, then Y").
And томим means what precisely? "we wear out"? If so there seems to be mismatch in tenses (любил earlier)
I loved you unswervingly, hopelessly, until all shyness and then all jealousy are worn out ?? ... umm, nah , this is безнадеждо for me

I hope this explains to Milanya precisely why kwatts59 did not choose Pushkin

Originally Posted by waxwing

I hope this explains to Milanya precisely why kwatts59 did not choose Pushkin

Because real poetry is at least three inches deeper than the surface and Pushkin's poetry is way deeper than that. It makes people think, has made for 200 years.
Songs that kwatts59 likes do not require thinking, at least not much; they are definitely way easier than poetry.

I'm afraid you didn't understand me Milanya - I meant that Pushkin is rather difficult for a student of Russian (unless they are already an advanced student).

Thanks for all your help.
I just started studying Russian 4 months ago; so I apologise that I am boring you with simple songs for now.
Anyway, I am greatly touched by the works of Pushkin. I have something to look forward to in a couple years when I am fluent in Russian.

Originally Posted by waxwing

Well I get the impression that the writer is very humble about his (unrequited?) love

It's right.

Originally Posted by waxwing

but in the last two lines one suddenly realizes that he considers his love to be a great gift that should not be discarded lightly.

Nope. He let her to move on and wish her to be loved as much as he loves her.

Originally Posted by waxwing

Как дай вам бог любимой быть другим. I don't get the grammar of it - why is it the infinitive 'быть'? Is this some way of expressing the future? Why not будет, in that case?

Let's make a try to translate it right together. The whole sentence is "Я вас любил так искренно, так нежно, как дай вам бог любимой быть другим."

1. There is a language contruction "так ... как" which could be translated as "as ... as".
For example: Я желаю тебе так много счастья в новом году как было в прошлом году. - I wish you for this year to be as much luck as you were in the last one.
2. "Дай вам бог любимой быть другим" There is no future tense; just a wish plus passive voice.
For example: I wish you to be happy. - Желаю тебе быть счастливым.

It's my try of translation:
I loved you as sincerely and fondly as wish you be loved by other.

Originally Posted by waxwing

Also the line:
"То робостью, то ревностью томим" was difficult. So does it mean that 'то X... то Y' = "at times X, at times Y" or "now X, now Y"? (logical from the literal 'then X, then Y").

"Я вас любил безмолвно, безнадежно, то робостью, то ревностью томим"
Я вас любил безмолвно, безнадежно - (IMHO, It sounds better in passive voice in English) My love was silent and hopeless.
Я был то робостью, то ревностью томим. - Pay attension that it's passive voice but I have no idea why the original doesn't need the word "был" (Ask Friendy ). In your terms there is "at times X, at times Y" construction.

Originally Posted by waxwing

And томим means what precisely? "we wear out"?

No. I can't find appropriate word therefore listen my long explanation.
The love was always with him. He has waited so long without any hope and can't throw the thoughts away.
Something like this.

Originally Posted by waxwing

I'm afraid you didn't understand me Milanya - I meant that Pushkin is rather difficult for a student of Russian (unless they are already an advanced student).

Actually, the real Russian poetry is difficult even for me. Sometimes I can understand its meaning only after an accurate reading.

PS Be careful because I feel myself a lame in English.

Originally Posted by BETEP

Originally Posted by waxwing

but in the last two lines one suddenly realizes that he considers his love to be a great gift that should not be discarded lightly.

Nope. He let her to move on and wish her to be loved as much as he loves her.

Well, it's clear that on the surface, this is what is meant. The point of my first post was to question the sincerity of this statement. Of course, I have no subtle feeling for the language and maybe my interpretation has no justification.

Originally Posted by BETEP

It's my try of translation:
I loved you as sincerely and fondly as wish you be loved by other.

OK, this translation is not quite right - but the meaning is clear. Thanks for your input. It helps me to understand.

About томим, I only want to know if it comes from the root томить, or if it's a different word entirely ..?

Originally Posted by BETEP

PS Be careful because I feel myself a lame in English.

Your English is great

Originally Posted by waxwing

OK, this translation is not quite right - but the meaning is clear. Thanks for your input. It helps me to understand.

Please, correct me if it's possible.

Originally Posted by waxwing

About томим, I only want to know if it comes from the root томить, or if it's a different word entirely ..?

Yes, but the word "томить" has many meanings. I thing the word's derivation comes from a kind of a cooking process. I saw it just once and don't blame me if it's wrong. A classic Russian pan (I've forgot its name), covering with a cover, puts into a classic Russian oven where temperature isn't high. That's why the cooking process takes a long time.
"Everyday" word томить means annoy, bother or etc. For example: Да ты меня уже притамил своей трескатнёй! (You've got me with your chitchat / Your chatter drive me crazy)
There is another meaning of the word which was used in the poetry, but the concept of long time cooking still takes place.

Originally Posted by waxwing

Your English is great

Oh man, I know what I'm talking about.

Originally Posted by waxwing

About томим, I only want to know if it comes from the root томить, or if it's a different word entirely ..?

Yes, томим comes from томить; in this case томить means torture. He was tortured by timidness (shyness) and jealousy

[ТОМИТЬ1 несов. перех.

1. Доставлять физические страдания; мучить. // перен. Заставлять мучиться от неизвестности.

(from gramota.ru)] good resource BTW.

Originally Posted by kwatts59

Thanks for all your help.
I just started studying Russian 4 months ago; so I apologise that I am boring you with simple songs for now.
Anyway, I am greatly touched by the works of Pushkin. I have something to look forward to in a couple years when I am fluent in Russian.

I am sorry If I am too harsh. I am glad to help any way I can.

Originally Posted by waxwing

Well, it's clear that on the surface, this is what is meant. The point of my first post was to question the sincerity of this statement. Of course, I have no subtle feeling for the language and maybe my interpretation has no justification.

IMHO this letter as a whole is a very merciless double (or triple or more) psychological stroke.

Я вас любил:

I don't love you any more.

любовь еще, быть может,
В душе моей угасла не совсем;

Maybe I still love you.

Но пусть она вас больше не тревожит;
Я не хочу печалить вас ничем.

So, be in eternal anguish, dear. (Whether I still love you or not)

Я вас любил безмолвно, безнадежно,
То робостью, то ревностью томим;

You gave me cause for thinking ill of you.

Я вас любил так искренно, так нежно,
Как дай вам бог любимой быть другим.

I know you never would be.



And look at the addressee's fate. Анна Алексеевна Оленина She married only when Poushkin went. And her marriage was not happy.

PS: That's my own измышлизмы. Thank you, waxwing - your words suggested to me that idea Не так уж мужики просты и безобидны как это рисуется в "мужском манифесте"

Very interesting, thanks N ... long time no see!
This just makes me think we should have more Pushkin threads. I can only remember one or two.

Originally Posted by waxwing

This just makes me think we should have more Pushkin threads. I can only remember one or two.

There is not only Pushkin in Russian poetry.

Originally Posted by Лермонтов

Белеет парус одинокий
В тумане моря голубом!...
Что ищет он в стране далекой?
Что кинул он в краю родном?...

Играют волны - ветер свищет,
И мачта гнется и скрыпит...
Увы, - он счастия не ищет
И не от счастия бежит!

Под ним струя светлей лазури,
Над ним луч солнца золотой...
А он, мятежный, просит бури,
Как будто в бурях есть покой!

Originally Posted by Есенин

О красном вечере задумалась дорога,
Кусты рябин туманней глубины.
Изба-старуха челюстью порога
Жует пахучий мякиш тишины.

Осенний холод ласково и кротко
Крадется мглой к овсяному двору;
Сквозь синь стекла желтоволосый отрок
Лучит глаза на галочью игру.

Обняв трубу сверкает по повети
Зола зеленая из розовой печи.
Кого-то нет, и тонкогубый ветер
О ком-то шепчет, сгинувшем в ночи.

Кому-то пятками уже не мять по рощам
Щербленый лист и золото травы,
Тягучий вздох, ныряя звоном тощим,
Целует клюв нахохленой совы.

Все гуще хмарь, в хлеву покой и дрема,
Дорога белая узорит скользкий ров...
И нежно охает ячменная солома,
Свисая с губ кивающих коров.

Originally Posted by Бунин

Серп луны под тучкой длинной
Льет полночный слабый свет.
Над безмолвною долиной -
Темной церкви силуэт.

Серп луны за тучкой тает, -
Проплывая, гаснет он.
С колокольни долетает,
Замирая, сонный звон.

Серп луны в просветы тучи
С грустью тихою глядит,
Под ветвями ив плакучих
Тускло воду золотит.

И в реке, среди глубокой
Предрассветной тишины,
Замирает одинокий
Золотой двойник луны.

И так далее...

Hands off from Таня Буланова!
It is rather old song, by the way. After this stage she became more "rock-stylish" in her appearance, and then "more modern", and then just dissappeared for good, or, at least, it seems so.
When I studied in the University we sometimes used to play as if we were provincial "птушники" (from ПТУ - low-rate professional colledge in Soviet times) and as if we are fans of very silly pop-songs, and so we imagined "the cult of Таня Буланова" and had to listen to her songs twice a day, in the morning (This very one) and in the evening (the more trite and silly 'Старшая сестра'), using that "Электроника" tape recorder with hoarse and tinny sound. This cult lasted no more than several days, although.