In the shade of an ancient oak,
On a rock, deserted and steep,
Sits the enemy of the night wayfarer--
A Circassian, handsome and young.
But it is not a crafty plan
He conceals in the darkness of silence,
does not breathe with fatal glory,
Nor thirst for battle and war.
Languishing in sweet voluptousness,
The Circassian awaits the minute of love
And thus, thinking of his beautiful [maiden],
He conveys his yearning:
"Close, close, is the time for our rendezvous!
My blood seezes and freezes,
And true love asks for
Sweet rewards for sufferings.
Where are you? rush to me, rush,
Dzhembe, soul of my soul!
All is quiet in the sleepy aul,
Leave the jealous old folks:
Your traces they can't see
In the gracious darkness!
Where are you? rush to me, rush,
Dzhembe, soul of my soul!
Star of love of your homeland,
You are the whole world in my eyes!
In your breast, on your lips
Lies the whole enchantment of paradise!
The moon is up...Rush, rush,
Oh maiden, life of my soul!"
And suddenly, as a gently blowing breeze,
She appeared before him
And embraced him with her lily-white arm
With ardent and silent passion!
And she kisses him with sweet languor!
And whispers: "My dear, I am yours!.."
And an inadvertent and immodest sigh
Sharply excites her breast...
She is his!..But what flickered
In the grey gorge of the rock?
What rang out and flashed by
Amidst the dense, midnight haze?
Who shines with a bared sabre,
Suddenly overwhelms the youngster?
Whose furioous voice is heard:
"Die, without taking leave of the wicked woman!.."
Her father!.. The consolation of night
The sleepless old man did not taste,
He did not take his suspicious eyes
Off the transgressing maiden;
He noted her movements
Her secret escape,
And in the first heat of bitterness
He cut short the days of the seducer...
But where is she? what lot
Did malicious fate meet out to her?
Could it be that eternal bondage
Was what the cruel father sentenced her to
And languishing in captivity,
The victim of anger and shame
Will die in a pitiful interment
Beauty, guilty of love?..
What happened to her?...Alas! that wild stone
Stands over a grave by the rock:
There the unfortunate flame of light days
Died long ago--for eternal darkness!
At the very moment when her handsome friend
Bloodied, fell at her feet,
The last sigh, bidden in farewell, passionate
Constrained the dagger in her breast!..
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