Nikita Rysanski Built a city, but he didn’t have enough nails. Nikita Rysanski Held out his palms and saw in them a drop of rain; Nikita Rysanski Abandoned the city and left for the garden. Nikita Rysanski Abandoned the elder and taught the young… Saint Sophia Knowing of him, came to his home; Saint Sophia Searched for him and found him under a bush; She baptized him With salty bread and bitter wine, And they prayed and laughed together: Look, Lord: Strength, and from strength - there is fear, And we are children in Your hands, Teach us to see You In the midst of each misfortune…. Take, Lord, this bread and wine, Look, Lord how we sink to the bottom; Teach us to breathe underwater. Nine thousand churches Await Him, because He should save, Nine thousand churches Search for Him and cannot find him; And in the evening again it rained, And the fire burned out, leaving us with only smoke; But the city is saving itself, While three of us Continue to speak with Him. Look, Lord: Strength, and from strength- there is fear, We, Lord, are children in your hands, Teach us to see You In the midst of each misfortune…. Take, Lord, this bread and wine; Look, Lord, how we sink to the bottom: Teach us to breathe underwater….
I started translating this song about a year ago, just after our first convergance. I always held back from submitting it, because I was afraid I hadn't gotten it "quite right." It's a tremendous song, and I wanted to do it justice.
Why submit it now? Maybe I am able to accept criticism better now, I don't know! I wont be surprised if I get some corrections thrown my way. And even though I am Orthodox, I'm afraid I don't know enough to comment on the religious-ness of the song and it's story.
In short, I believe that this is perhaps the finest song on one of the finest albums ever created...