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
—— Сытость-тоSytost'-to satiety какаяkakaja what —— соso from свиньямиsvin'jami pigs даda yes сs with телятами!teljatami! calves!

'Enough? Yes, if you like to share with the pigs and the calves!

НиNi Neither убранства,ubranstva, decoration ниni neither обращенья!obraschen'ja! treatment!

What do you know of elegance or manners!

КакKak How ниni not трудисьtrudis' you-working твойtvoj your-work хозяин,hozjain, owner какkak how живетеzhivete live вv at навозе,navoze, cultivate такtak so иi and помрете,pomrete, (you-pl.)-die иi and детямdetjam (to)-children тоto then жеzhe same будет.budet. will-be

However much your good man may slave, you will die as you are living—on a dung heap—and your children the same.'

—— АA And чтоchto what ж,—zh,— that говоритgovorit said меньшая,men'shaja, smaller —— нашеnashe our делоdelo case такое.takoe.

'Well, what of that?' replied the younger.

ЗатоZato On-the-other-hand твердоtverdo firm живем,zhivem, live никомуnikomu nobody неne not кланяемся,klanjaemsja, to-bow никогоnikogo nobody неne not боимся.boimsja. afraid

'Of course our work is rough and coarse. But, on the other hand, it is sure; and we need not bow to any one.

АA But выvy you вv at городуgorodu (to)-city всеvse all вv at соблазнахsoblaznah temptation живете;zhivete; live нынчеnynche nowadays хорошо,horosho, good аa But завтраzavtra tomorrow подвернетсяpodvernetsja turned-up нечистыйnechistyj evil —— глядь,gljad', look-and-see иi and соблазнитsoblaznit seduce хозяинаhozjaina owner твоегоtvoego your либоlibo or наna at карты,karty, cards либоlibo or наna at вино,vino, wine либоlibo or наna at кралюkralju king какую.kakuju. what

But you, in your towns, are surrounded by temptations; to-day all may be right, but to-morrow the Evil One may tempt your husband with cards, wine, or women, and all will go to ruin.

ИI And пойдетpojdet goes всеvse all прахом.prahom. ashes РазвеRazve Really неne not бывает?byvaet? happen?

Don't such things happen often enough?'

СлушалSlushal Listened-to ПахомPahom Pahóm —— хозяинhozjain owner —— наna at печи,pechi, stove чтоchto that бабыbaby women балакают.balakajut. jabbering

Pahóm, the master of the house, was lying on the top of the oven, and he listened to the women's chatter.

—— ПравдаPravda Actually это,—eto,— this говорит,—govorit,— said истинная.istinnaja. true

'It is perfectly true,' thought he.

КакKak How нашnash our братbrat brother сызмальстваsyzmal'stva we-are ее,ee, its землю-матушку,zemlju-matushku, earth-mother переворачивает,perevorachivaet, flips такtak so дурь-тоdur'-to nonsense вv at головуgolovu head иi and неne not пойдет.pojdet. goes

'Busy as we are from childhood tilling mother earth, we peasants have no time to let any nonsense settle in our heads.

ОдноOdno One гореgore grief —— землиzemli land мало!malo! few! АA but будьbud' be землиzemli land вволю,vvolju, plenty такtak so яja I никого,nikogo, nobody иi and самогоsamogo most черта,cherta, devil неne not боюсь!bojus'! I'm-afraid!

Our only trouble is that we haven't land enough. If I had plenty of land, I shouldn't fear the Devil himself!'

ОтпилиOtpili Sipped бабыbaby women чай,chaj, tea побалакалиpobalakali jabbering ещеesche more обob about нарядах,narjadah, dress убралиubrali removed посуду,posudu, dishes полеглиpolegli laid-down спать.spat'. sleep

The women finished their tea, chatted a while about dress, and then cleared away the tea-things and lay down to sleep.

АA But чертchert devil заza for печкойpechkoj stove сидел,sidel, was-sitting всеvse all слышал.slyshal. hear

But the Devil had been sitting behind the oven, and had heard all that was said.

ОбрадовалсяObradovalsja Excited он,on, he чтоchto that крестьянскаяkrest'janskaja peasant женаzhena wife наna at похвальбуpohval'bu boast мужаmuzha husband's навела:navela: put

He was pleased that the peasant's wife had led her husband into boasting,

похваляется,pohvaljaetsja, Boast что,chto, that былаbyla was бb by уu at негоnego its земля,zemlja, land егоego his иi and чертchert devil неne not возьмет.voz'met. will-take

and that he had said that if he had plenty of land he would not fear the Devil himself.

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