Много ли человеку земли нужно - I (Russian) with translations in English

How Much Land Does a Man Need

This parallel text is part of How Much Land Does a Man Need equilang.

Text by León Tolstói written in year 1886 in Russian.

  • Source: León Tolstói (1886). Русское богатство. В. Г. Короленко. https://ru.wikisource.org/wiki/Много_ли_человеку_земли_нужно_(Толстой)

The original version.

Translation by Aylmer Maude written in year 1906 in English.

Много ли человеку земли нужно - I
How Much Land Does a Man Need? - I
ПриехалаPriehala Arrived изiz from городаgoroda city старшаяstarshaja elder сестраsestra sister кk to меньшейmen'shej smaller вv at деревню.derevnju. countryside

An elder sister came to visit her younger sister in the country.

СтаршаяStarshaja Elder заza for купцомkuptsom merchant былаbyla was вv at городе,gorode, city аa but меньшаяmen'shaja smaller заza for мужикомmuzhikom man вv at деревне.derevne. countryside

The elder was married to a tradesman in town, the younger to a peasant in the village.

ПьютP'jut They-drink чайchaj tea сестры,sestry, sisters разговаривают.razgovarivajut. they-talk

As the sisters sat over their tea talking,

СталаStala Become старшаяstarshaja elder сестраsestra sister чванитьсяchvanit'sja swagger —— своюsvoju their жизньzhizn' life вv at городеgorode city выхвалять:vyhvaljat': glorify

the elder began to boast of the advantages of town life:

какkak how онаona she вv at городеgorode city просторноprostorno roomy иi and чистоchisto purely живетzhivet live иi and ходит,hodit, goes какkak how онаona she детейdetej children наряжает,narjazhaet, dresses какkak how онаona she сладкоsladko sweet естest eat иi and пьетp'et drink иi and какkak how наna at катанья,katan'ja, riding гуляньяguljan'ja walking иi and вv at театрыteatry theatre ездит.ezdit. driving

saying how comfortably they lived there, how well they dressed, what fine clothes her children wore, what good things they ate and drank, and how she went to the theatre, promenades, and entertainments.

ОбидноObidno Offended сталоstalo become меньшейmen'shej smaller сестре,sestre, sister иi and сталаstala become онаona she купеческуюkupecheskuju merchant жизньzhizn' life унижать,unizhat', humillated аa but своюsvoju her крестьянскуюkrest'janskuju peasant возвышать.vozvyshat'. elevate

The younger sister was piqued, and in turn disparaged the life of a tradesman, and stood up for that of a peasant.

—— НеNe Not променяюpromenjaju will-trade я,—ja,— I говорит,—govorit,— said своегоsvoego own житьяzhit'ja life наna at твое.tvoe. yours

'I would not change my way of life for yours,' said she.

ДаромDarom for-nothing чтоchto the сероsero mundane живем,zhivem, live даda and страхуstrahu fear неne not знаем.znaem. know

'We may live roughly, but at least we are free from anxiety.

ВыVy you иi and почищеpochische cleaner живете,zhivete, live даda and либоlibo either многоmnogo much наторгуете,natorguete, to-trade либоlibo either вовсеvovse at-all проторгуетесь.protorguetes'. bargaining-about

You live in better style than we do, but though you often earn more than you need, you are very likely to lose all you have.

ИI And пословицаposlovitsa proverb живет:zhivet: live

You know the proverb,

барышуbaryshu profit накладnaklad loss —— are большойbol'shoj great брат.brat. brother

"Loss and gain are brothers twain."

БываетByvaet Happen иi and то:to: then нынчеnynche nowadays богат,bogat, wealthy аa and завтраzavtra tomorrow подpod under окнамиoknami windows находишься.nahodish'sja. you-are

It often happens that people who are wealthy one day are begging their bread the next.

АA But нашеnashe our мужицкоеmuzhitskoe man's делоdelo case вернее:vernee: correct

Our way is safer.

уu At мужикаmuzhika man животzhivot belly тонок,tonok, thin даda but долог,dolog, is-long богатыbogaty wealthy неne not будем,budem, shall даda yes сытыsyty fed будем.budem. shall

Though a peasant's life is not a fat one, it is a long one. We shall never grow rich, but we shall always have enough to eat.'

СталаStala therefore старшаяstarshaja elder сестраsestra sister говорить:govorit': said

The elder sister said sneeringly:

Russian

Russian - English

English

English - Russian