Иерусалим — Jerusalem

 

On October 7, 2024, Alex Shevchenko wrote:

The song "Jerusalem" sung by different Christian groups today was written by me and my brother when we were children. At that moment I was 16 and my brother Vladimir was 14 years old. I attach a link to the Russian version, which my brother Vladimir performs.

Jerusalem - Alexander Shevchenko: https://youtu.be/fIvYvygoJtE

But this morning I received a link to the Ukrainian version of this song, performed by Oksana Polishchuk. In my opinion, this is incredible! Thank you, Oksana, for a great performance, as well as Svitlana Kasyanchik for your wonderful translation into Ukrainian!

Holy Jerusalem (in Ukrainian) - Oksana Polishchuk: https://youtu.be/FOYT-zqf45I

See the bottom for the metrical translation & lead sheet

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Word-for-word translation:

Куплет 1:

Пройдут года и постепенно,

Proydut goda i postepenno,

Will pass the years and gradually

Всё унесут путём своим.

Vso unesut putom svoim.

All [they] will carry away by way [of] their own.

Но там вдали, в красе нетленной,

No tam vdali, v krase netlennoy,

But there [we] see, in beauty imperishable,

Стоит святой, святой Иерусалим.

Stoit svyatoy, svyatoy Iyerusalim.

Stands holy, holy Jerusalem.

​

Куплет 2:

Вокруг него сад зеленеет,

Vokrug nego sad zeleneyet,

Around him the garden greens (is greening)

Поёт там псалмы херувим.

Poyot tam psalmy kheruvim.

Sings there psalms a cherubim

И все жемчужные аллеи,

I vse zhemchuzhnyye allei,

And all the pearly alleys (or lanes)

Ведут в святой, святой Иерусалим.

Vedut v svyatoy, svyatoy Iyerusalim.

Lead to holy, holy Jerusalem.

​

      Припев:

      К тебе стремлюсь душой, хочу, хочу домой.

      K tebe stremlyus' dushoy, khochu, khochu domoy.

      For you longs [my] soul, I want, I desire to go home

      И быть всегда с тобой, Иерусалим!

      I byt' vsegda s toboy, Iyerusalim!

      And to be always with you, Jerusalem!

      Забуду всю печаль, земли ничуть не жаль,

      Zabudu vsyu pechal', zemli nichut' ne zhal',

      I will forget all the sorrow, earth not a bit I desire

      Уйду в святую даль, Иерусалим - 2 раза.

      Uydu v svyatuyu dal', Iyerusalim - 2 raza.

      I will go to the holy distance, Jerusalem!  — 2 times

​

Куплет 3:

Душой, поющей аллилуйя,

Dushoy, poyushchey alliluyya,

With [my] soul, singing alleluia,

Покинув мир, расставшись с ним.

Pokinuv mir, rasstavshis' s nim.

Having left the world, having parted with it

По вечной милости войду я,

Po vechnoy milosti voydu ya,

By eternal mercies will enter I, 

Навек в святой, святой Иерусалим!

Navek v svyatoy, svyatoy Iyerusalim!

Forever into holy, holy Jerusalem

Припев

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English Translation to fit the meter of the music:

1.

See how the years slip by so gradually

And everything swept by with them,

But there we'll see in timeless beauty

Eternal holy, pure Jerusalem!

2.

Around it is the garden springing

Oh, hear the psalms of cherubim!

And all the pearly streets are leading

Straight up to holy, pure Jerusalem!

      Chorus

      For You my soul cries out! 

      For home I long and shout!

      To be with You always, Jerusalem!

      Forgetting sorrow-filled years, and earthly toils and fears,

      I'll go to holy, pure Jerusalem!

3.

And with my soul still singing glory,

And having left the world, and then

Eternal Mercies bid me enter

Forever holy, pure Jerusalem!

Chorus

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