Les da poljany, bezljud'je krugom.
(Still is the forest, no soul is in sight...)
V'juga i plachet i stonet,

(Winds are lamenting and howling...)
Chujetsja, budto vo mrake nochnom,
(Far away yonder where dark falls the night)

Zlaja, kogo-to khoronit;
(Something uncanny is prowling.)
Gljad', tak i jest'! V temnote muzhika

(See! Over there! Where the shades gather black)
Smert' obnimajet, laskajet,
(Death has waylaid some poor peasant)

S p'janen'kim pljashet vdvojom trepaka,
(Now he invited him to dance the 'Trepak';
Na ukho pesn' napevajet:

(Sings him a song fair and pleasant)
Oj, muzhichok, starichok ubogoj,
("Ho, my poor worker so bent and grey,)

P'jan napilsja, popljolsja dorogoj,
(Drunken with vodka and wandering astray ;)


A mjatel'-to, ved'ma, podnjalas', vzygrala.
(By the snow-fiend blinded, led by fitful shadows,)
S polja v les dremuchij nevznachaj zagnala.

(Through the pathless forest and over the trackless meadows.)
Gorem, toskoj da nuzhdoj tomimyj,
(What is thy portion by work and sorrow?)

Ljag, prikorni, da usni, rodimyj!
(Rest here, poor peasant, until tomorrow.)
Ja tebja, golubchik moj, snezhkom sogreju,

(See, a coverlet so white and warm I've found you ;)
Vkrug tebja velikuju igru zateju.
(Rest and watch the dancing snow-flakes whirl around you.)

Vzbej-ka postel', ty mjatel'-lebjodka!
(Soft as the swan's down, the bed where you lay!)
Gej, nachinaj, zapevaj pogodka!

(Hey! Sing good-night, fierce gale, as you fly.)
Skazku, da takuju, chtob vsju noch' tjanulas',
(Sing, wild wind, his hush-song, through the long dark night,)

Chtob p'janchuge krepko pod nejo zasnulos'!
(Let the weary worker sleep till morning light.)
Oj, vy lesa, nebesa, da tuchi,

(Forests and fields, and the coud-rack sweeping,)
Tem', veterok, da snezhok letuchij!
(Darkness and storm and the pale drifts heaping,)

Svejtes' pelenoju, snezhnoj, pukhovoju ;)
(Snow-flakes lightly hovering weave a spotless covering,)
Jeju, kak mladenca, starichka prikroju...

(Fit for a stainless childhood, round this poor clod sleeping...)
Spi, moj druzhok, muzhichok schastlivyj,
(Rest, rest, poor friend, slumber, happy fellow,)

Leto prishlo, rascvelo!
(Dream that the summer is bright when the harvest yellow!)
Nad nivoj solnyshko smejotsja da serpy gljajut,

(The sun shines, the sickles swing,)
Pesenka nesjotsja, golubki letajut...
(Hear the skylark singing.")