Fyodor Ivanovich Tyutchev
SILENTIUM! or Molchanie
Molchi, skryvaisya i tai
I chuvstva i mechty svoi -
Puskai v dushevnoi glubine
Vstayut i zahodyat one
Bezmolvno, kak zvezdy v nochi,-
Lyubuisya imi - i molchi.
Kak serdcu vyskazat' sebya?
Drugomu kak ponyat' tebya?
Poim¸t li on, chem ty zhiv¸sh'?
Mysl' izrech¸nnaya est' lozh'.
Vzryvaya, vozmutish' klyuchi,-
Pitaisya imi - i molchi.
Lish' zhit' v sebe samom umei -
Est' celyi mir v dushe tvoei
Tainstvenno-volshebnyh dum;
Ih oglushit naruzhnyi shum,
Dnevnye razgonyat luchi,-
Vnimai ih pen'yu - i molchi!..
Silentium!
Be silent, hide yourself, keep in
Your feelings and your sacred dream –
And let them, quiet, rise and set,
Soundlessly – in your heart’s depth,
Like stars do on the nightly rut:
Admire them, but just be mute.
How could your heart express its view?
Could any other feel like you?
Will he discern your base of life?
The word, pronounced, is a lie;
While stirring springs, you’ll cloud flood:
Drink their water, but be mute.
Within yourself, keep life in hold:
Your soul is a whole world
Of thoughts of mystery and charm,
They will be sunk in daily hum,
And scattered by the sun’s rays, rude:
Hark to their song, and just be mute.
Translated by Yevgeny Bonver
Speak not, lie hidden, and conceal
the way you dream, the things you feel.
Deep in your spirit let them rise
akin to stars in crystal skies
that set before the night is blurred:
delight in them and speak no word.
How can a heart expression find?
How should another know your mind?
Will he discern what quickens you?
A thought once uttered is untrue.
Dimmed is the fountainhead when stirred:
drink at the source and speak no word.
Live in your inner self alone
within your soul a world has grown,
the magic of veiled thoughts that might
be blinded by the outer light,
drowned in the noise of day, unheard...
take in their song and speak no word.
-- Fyodor Tyutchev (trans. Vladimir Nabokov)
A favorite translation:
Be silent, hide yourself, and conceal your feelings and your dreams. let them rise and set in the depths of your soul, silently, like stars in the night; contemplate them and be silent.
How will another understand you? Will he know what it is you live by? A thought that is spoken is a falsehood; by stirring up the springs you will cloud them: drink of them, and be silent.
know how to live within yourself: there is in your soul a whole world of mysteries and enchanted thoughts; they will be drowned by the noise without; daylight will drive them away. Listen to their singing, and be silent.