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Anonymous translation
O’ER the Neva gayly dancing, | |
| Flag and pennant flutter fair; | |
| From the boats in line advancing | |
| Oarsmen’s chorus fill the air. | |
| Loud and joyous guests assembling | 5 |
| Throng the palace of the Tzar; | |
| And to cannon crash is trembling | |
| All the Neva from afar. | |
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| Wherefore feasts our Tzar of wonders? | |
| Why is Petersburg so gay? | 10 |
| Why those shouts and cannon thunders, | |
| And the fleet in war array? | |
| Is new glory dawning on ye, | |
| Russia’s eagle, Russia’s sword? | |
| Has the stern Swede fled before ye? | 15 |
| Has the foe for peace implored? | |
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| Is it Brandt’s slight boat appearing, | |
| On the shore that was the Swede’s? | |
| Through our young fleet proudly steering | |
| Like a grandame she proceeds. | 20 |
| They, her giant brood, seem kneeling | |
| ’Fore their grandame, black and grim; | |
| And to Science’ name are pealing | |
| Cannon crash and choral hymn? | |
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| Is ’t Poltava, red and glorious, | 25 |
| That he feasts the herd of war? | |
| When his empire’s life victorious | |
| Saved from Charles the Russian Tzar? | |
| Greet they Catherine’s saint those thunders, | |
| Hath she given a prince to life? | 30 |
| Of our giant Tzar of wonders, | |
| She, the raven-tressed wife? | |
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| No! a subject’s crime remitting | |
| To the guilty, guilt he sinks, | |
| By a subject’s side he ’s sitting, | 35 |
| From a subject’s cup he drinks: | |
| And his brow he kisses smiling, | |
| Gay of heart and bright of eye; | |
| And he feasts a reconciling, | |
| Like some mighty victory. | 40 |
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| Hence those shouts of joy and wonder; | |
| Hence is Petersburg so gay; | |
| Hence the songs and cannon thunder, | |
| And the fleet in war array; | |
| Hence the guests in joy assembling; | 45 |
| Hence the full cup of the Tzar; | |
| Hence with cannon crashes trembling | |
| All the Neva from afar. | |
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