Translation by Ian Probstein

                          “Mа Vоiх аigrе еt fаussе…”
                          —Verlaine
 
I will tell you this, my lady,

With final candor,

All is folly — sherry-brandy,

Oh, my angel.
 

Where Beauty shone

To a Hellene,

Disgrace gaped at me

From a black hole.
 

Greeks stole Helen

Along the sea,

While I taste a salty brine

On my lips.
 

Void will soil my lips

And disgrace,

Poverty will cock a grim snook

At my face.
 

Oh, lo, is that so, drink or sail,

It’s all the same;

Angel Mary, drink your cocktail,

Gulp your wine.
 

I will tell you this, my lady,

With final candor,

All is folly — sherry-brandy,

Oh, my angel.
 

Translation by Bernard Meares

                           — Mа vоiх аigrе еt fаussе…
                          Verlaine
 
I’ll tell you bluntly

One last time:

It’s only maddening cherry brandy,

Angel mine!
 

Where the Greeks saw just their raped

Beauty’s fame,

At me through black holes gaped

Only shame.

 
But the Greeks hauled Helen home

In their ships.

Here a smidgen of salty foam

Flecks my lips.
 

What rubs my lips and leaves no trace?

Vacancy.

What thrusts a finger in my face?

Vagrancy.
 

Quickly, wholly, or slowly as a snail,

All the same,

Mary angel, drink your cocktail,

Down your wine.
 

I’ll tell you bluntly

One last time:

It’s only maddening cherry brandy,

Angel mine!
 

Translation by Naza Semoniff

                           — Mа vоiх аigrе еt fаussе…
                          Verlaine
 
I’ll tell you with my final

Plea:

All’s but airy bandу—sherry-brandy,

Angel, see.
 

Where Hellas soaked in purest light,

To me, disgrace

From voids of darkest night

Returned its gaze.
 

Swept Helen on the waves

The Greeks,

And as for me—just salty trace

Atop my lips.
 

Emptiness will soil

My lips,

Poverty will curl

Its quips.
 

Oh, blow or wail, come storm or gale,

It’s all fine;

Angel Mary, sip your cocktail,

Chug your wine.
 

I’ll tell you with my final

Plea:

All’s but airy bandy—sherry-brandy,

Angel, see.
 

Translation by Robert Walker

                           — Mа vоiх аigrе еt fаussе…
                          Verlaine
 
I’ll tell it straight

this one last time —

It’s all insane; it’s cherry brandy,

O Angel of Mine.
 

For the Greeks – a shining

Beauty and fame;

For me it’s mere defeat —

Shabby shame.
 

The Greeks brought Helen

home by ship.

I only caught their froth

on my dumb lip.
 

I blubber on

In dull futility,

And giving me the finger

Now? Poverty.
 

Try this, try that,

Or just to whine?

Oh, Angel Mary,

Take the wine!
 

I’ll tell you straight

this one last time —

It’s all insane — just cherry brandy,

O Angel of Mine.
 

The Original
                          “Mа Vоiх аigrе еt fаussе…”
                          —Verlaine
 

Я скажу тебе с последней

Прямотой:

Все лишь бредни, шерри-бренди,

Ангел мой.
 

Там где эллину сияла

Красота,

Мне из черных дыр зияла

Срамота.
 

Греки сбондили Елену

По волнам,

Ну а мне – соленой пеной

По губам.
 

По губам меня помажет

Пустота,

Строгий кукиш мне покажет

Нищета.
 

Ой-ли, так-ли, дуй-ли, вей-ли,

Все равно.

Ангел Мэри, пей коктейли,

Дуй вино!
 

Я скажу тебе с последней

Прямотой:

Все лишь бредни, шерри-бренди,

Ангел мой.
 
2 марта 1931

________________

NOTES

“Mа vоiх аigrе еt fаussе…” — My voice, shrill and false…
Ian Probstein’s translation was published in “New Translations of OM: Osip Mandelstam” (UDP, 2006) and “Centuries Encircle Me with Fire” (ASP, 2022).
Bernard Meares’s translation was published in his “Osip Mandelstam: 50 Poems” (Persea Books, 2000).