Desert sinful, worldly — Пустыней Греховной Земной

I initially wrote this one off because Simon did not have English lyrics and it was not something that I immediately understood.  However, Simon has since added English lyrics and I have seen that this video has garnered many, many views in the last 6 or 7 months.  Thus I thought it was time to give it another, closer look.

1.

Пустыней греховной, земной,

Pustyney grekhovnoy, zemnoy,

Desert sinful, worldly,

Где неправды гнетущий обман,

Gde nepravdy gnetushchiy obman,

Where [is] not-truth oppressive deceit

Я к Отчизне иду неземной

YA k Otchizne idu nezemnoy

I to Fatherland go ethereal

По кровавым следам христиан.

Po krovavym sledam khristian.

By / upon [the] blood-filled trail [of] Christians.

Припев — chorus

В край родной, неземной

V kray rodnoy, nezemnoy

In [the] land native, ethereal

От обмана мирской суеты

Ot obmana mirskoy suyety

From deceitful worldly vanity

Я иду и приду

YA idu i pridu

I go and shall come

К незакатному солнцу любви.

K nezakatnomu solntsu lyubvi.

To [the] unsetting sun [of] love.

2.

Темнеет вечерняя мгла,

Temneyet vechernyaya mgla,

It's getting dark evening mist

Длится тяжкий и скорбный мой путь,

Dlitsya tyazhkiy i skorbnyy moy put',

Continues sore and mournful my way,

Но не гаснет надежда моя:

No ne gasnet nadezhda moya:

But not go out hope mine:

Я в Отчизне моей отдохну.

YA v Otchizne moyey otdokhnu.

I in Fatherland mine will rest.

        Припев — chorus

3.

Иди же смелее вперед

Idi zhe smeleye vpered

Go then bold ahead

За Христом, не пугаясь врага,

Za Khristom, ne pugayas' vraga,

For Christ, not fearing [the] foe,

Скоро кончится путь наш земной,

Skoro konchitsya put' nash zemnoy,

Soon ends path ours earthly,

Засияют Сиона врата.

Zasiyayut Siona vrata.

Shine Zion's gates.

       Припев — chorus

4.  Not sung----

Ведь там ожидают меня

Ved' tam ozhidayut menya

After all there [they] epect me

Всё омытые кровью Христа,

Vsyo omytyye krov'yu Khrista,

All washed [by] blood [of] Christ,

Они встретят, любовью горя,

Oni vstretyat, lyubov'yu gorya,

They will meet, love's flame

Пилигрима усталой земли.

Piligrima ustaloy zemli.

Pilgrims weary of earth.

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Happy Childhood — Счастливое Детство

Note:
I am uncertain about verse two:

Но есть много детей без презорныхЛишины всех родительских благ

Specifically: "...без презорных  / Лишины..."

Simon suggests that those lines could be translated:

For there are many children without caretakers

Who are deprived of the blessing of parents

I don't see that; but for now, until I know better, that's how it will stand.

1.

За счастливое детство на свете

Za schastlivoye detstvo na svete

For [a] happy childhood on earth

(or childhood in [the] light, light being figuretive for the world)

Я Христу благодарность несу

YA Khristu blagodarnost' nesu

I [to] Christ thanks bring

Что хранил он меня с папой вместе

Chto khranil on menya s papoy vmeste

That kept He me with Papa together

Поклонюся я низко ему

Poklonyusya ya nizko yemu

Bow myself I low [to] Him.

2.

Но есть много детей без презорных

No yest' mnogo detey bez prezornykh

But there [are] many children without guardians,

Лишины всех родительских благ

Lishiny vsekh roditel'skikh blag

Bereaved of all parental good

И ютятся в ущельях убогих

I yutyatsya v ushchel'yakh ubogikh

And huddle in ravines of [the] miserable/poor

слёзы часто текут из их глаз

slozy chasto tekut iz ikh glaz

tears often flow from their eyes.

3.

Но меня мой Спаситель избавил

No menya moy Spasitel' izbavil

But me my Savior delivered / saved

От сиротской и горькой судьбы

Ot sirotskoy i gor'koy sud'by

From orphan and bitter destiny

Счастъе в жизни моей Он прибавил

Schast"ye v zhizni moyey On pribavil

Happiness in life [of] mine He increased

Жить у папиной славной груди

Zhit' u papinoy slavnoy grudi

To live at father's glorious side.

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Take Me — Возьми Меня

Simon does include English lyrics below the Russian lyrics, but they are not close to what the Russian says at all.  (At least as of 10:45am 28-Dec-18—he did just release the video this morning.)  Thus this attempt at word-for-word translation is very important to Simon's English speaking followers.

1.

Возьми меня отныне и впереди

Voz'mi menya otnyne i vperedi

Take me henceforth and onwards/ahead

По жизненной долине, Господь, веди!

Po zhiznennoy doline, Gospod', vedi!

In life-long valley, Lord, lead!

Не мог бы я тропою Твоей идти,

Ne mog by ya tropoyu Tvoyey idti,

Not able would I [the] trail [of] Yours to walk,

Но если Ты со мною, я тверд в пути.

No yesli Ty so mnoyu, ya tverd v puti.

But if You [are] with me, I [am] steadfast on [the] path.

2.

Даруй Ты сердцу радость во всёх скорбях;

Daruy Ty serdtsu radost' vo vsyokh skorbyakh;

Give You [the] heart joy in all troubles;

Дай чувствовать мне сладость в Твоих словах;

Day chuvstvovat' mne sladost' v Tvoikh slovakh;

Give to feel me sweetness in Your words;

Святую веры твердость в меня вдохни

Svyatuyu very tverdost' v menya vdokhni

Holy faith constancy/firmness in me infill/inbreathe

И духа злую гордость Ты изгони.

I dukha zluyu gordost' Ty izgoni.

And spirit wicked pride You cast out.

3.

Когда же в смертном теле надежды нет,

Kogda zhe v smertnom tele nadezhdy net,

When in mortal [body] forward looking-for not

(Ie, “when in the mortal body [there is] no hope”)

Направь меня Ты к цели чрез тьму и свет.

Naprav' menya Ty k tseli chrez t'mu i svet.

Direct me You to [the] goal through darkness and light.

(Ie, Direct me to the goal through....)

Возьми меня отныне и впереди

Voz'mi menya otnyne i vperedi

Take me henceforth and onwards/ahead

По жизненной долине, Господь, веди!

Po zhiznennoy doline, Gospod', vedi!

In life-long valley, Lord, lead!


Additional Note:
The last scene along the beach with the shipwreck in the surf and the sand is The Wreck of the Peter Iredale in Oregon.  See this link for more information.

The Peter Iredale Wreck on the beach at Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon.

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God Called Fire Upon

"To Sit and Dream" — Copyright Louisiana Dreams & Beyond Photography by Sherry Lynn 2018

God called fire upon the water at the end of day:
  A fire of joy to celebrate, commemorate;
     A fire of thousand blessings bundled into twilight spray—
        To show His love and then His promise demonstrate
That though day ends and night descends and wends its way,
His watchful eye on earth and those He loves will stay.
      Thus peaceful rest now till that Promised Coming Day.