O, If Forever — О, Если б Навеки

1.

О, если б навеки я мог быть Твоим,

O, yesli b naveki ya mog byt' Tvoim,

O, if forever I could be Yours

У ног Твоих нежно внимая,

U nog Tvoikh nezhno vnimaya,

At feet [of] Yours gently listening

Я б слушал покорно с восторгом живым

YA b slushal pokorno s vostorgom zhivym

I would listen obediently with delight living

О повестях чудного рая.

O povestyakh chudnogo raya.

About stories [of] wonderful Paradise (Heaven).

2.

О счастье, о мире, о жизни, любви

O schast'ye, o mire, o zhizni, lyubvi

About happiness, about peace, about life, love

Ты книгу Свою открывал бы.

Ty knigu Svoyu otkryval by.

You [the] book [of] Yours open/unlock/reveal would

И вечным блаженством, как ангел в тиши,

I vechnym blazhenstvom, kak angel v tishi,

And eternal bliss/joy, like [an] angel in silence,

Я душу свою наполнял бы.

YA dushu svoyu napolnyal by.

I soul [of] mine fill would.

3.

О, если б навеки я мог быть Твоим,

O, yesli b naveki ya mog byt' Tvoim,

O, if forever I could be Yours,

К груди Твоей нежно прижаться.

K grudi Tvoyey nezhno prizhat'sya.

To bossom [of] Yours gently press.

Я всё , всё земное отдал бы другим,

YA vso , vso zemnoye otdal by drugim,

I everything, everything earth give would [to] others

Чтоб только Твоим называться.

Chtob tol'ko Tvoim nazyvat'sya.

So that only Yours called.

4.

И слышится мне, будто кто-то в тиши

I slyshitsya mne, budto kto-to v tishi

And is heard to me, as if someone in silence

Меня, утешая, ласкает.

Menya, uteshaya, laskayet.

Me comforts, caresses,

И шепчет мне тихо: "Давно от тебя

I shepchet mne tikho: "Davno ot tebya

And whispers [to] me softly: “For a long time from you

Решений твоих ожидаю.

Resheniy tvoikh ozhidayu.

Decision  yours [I] expect/await.

5.

Я душу Мою за тебя положил,

YA dushu Moyu za tebya polozhil,

I soul [of] Mine for you laid down,

Скитался Я здесь одиноко

Skitalsya YA zdes' odinoko

Wandered I here alone

И Кровью Своею тебя искупил,

I Krov'yu Svoyeyu tebya iskupil,

And [through] Blood my own you [I] redeemed,

Хотя ты отбился далеко.

Khotya ty otbilsya daleko.

Although you strayed far away.

6.

А ныне ты Мой, и сомненья твои

A nyne ty Moy, i somnen'ya tvoi

And now you [are] Mine, and doubts [of] yours

С тебя Я навеки снимаю.

S tebya YA naveki snimayu.

From you I forever remove.

О друг Мой! О брат Мой! Скорее иди,

O drug Moy! O brat Moy! Skoreye idi,

O friend Mine! O brother Mine! Hurry come.

Тебя Я давно ожидаю".

Tebya YA davno ozhidayu".

You I for a long time expecting/anticipating.”

7.

И пал я, рыдая, пред Богом моим,

I pal ya, rydaya, pred Bogom moim,

And fell I, weeping, before God [of] mine,

Одежды свои раздирая.

Odezhdy svoi razdiraya.

Clothes of my own rending.

А Бог мой меня называет Своим,

A Bog moy menya nazyvayet Svoim,

And God mine me names His Own,

За все и во всем мне прощая.

Za vse i vo vsem mne proshchaya.

For all and in all me forgiving.

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Note: this text is found in a Ukraine Hymnbook.

The tune as Simon sings it.

Years of Youth — Годы юности летят

1.

Годы! Годы юности летят,

Gody! Gody yunosti letyat,

Years! The Years of youth fly,

Годы, им возврата нет назад,

Gody, im vozvrata net nazad,

Years, they have no return back,

Годы, в вечность нас влекут с собой.

Gody, v vechnost' nas vlekut s soboy.

Years, into eternity draw us with them.

Годы, дни уходят чередой.

Gody, dni ukhodyat cheredoy.

Years, days depart in succession.

2.

Годы, изменяют в жизни нас.

Gody, izmenyayut v zhizni nas.

Years, change us in life.

Годы, неизведан каждый час,

Gody, neizvedan kazhdyy chas,

Years, uncharted every hour,

Годы, ты совсем уже седой,

Gody, ty sovsem uzhe sedoy,

Years, you quite already gray,

Годы, что свершили над тобой.

Gody, chto svershili nad toboy.

Years, that have made you.

3.

Годы! С каждым годом ближе дом,

Gody! S kazhdym godom blizhe dom,

Years, with every year closer home,

Годы, скоро встреча со Христом,

Gody, skoro vstrecha so Khristom,

Years, soon meeting with Christ,

Годы, скоро полночь, год проидёт,

Gody, skoro polnoch', god proidot ,

Years, soon midnight as the year passes

Годы, скоро наш Господь придёт.

Gody, skoro nash Gospod' pridot.

Years, soon our Lord will come.

4.

Годы! Для Иисуса посвяти,

Gody! Dlya Iisusa posvyati,

Years, For Jesus consecrate / devote,

Годы, плод твой в жизни принеси,

Gody, plod tvoy v zhizni prinesi,

Years, fruit yours in life bring,

Годы, год прошел, идёт другой,

Gody, god proshel, idyot drugoy,

Years, a year has passed, comes another,

Годы, есть что думать нам с тобой.

Gody, yest' chto dumat' nam s toboy.

Years, there is that to think us with you.

       (there is that for us and you to think of.)

5. (additional verse not sung by Simon)

Годы! Будь готов войти с Христом.

Gody! Bud' gotov voyti s Khristom.

Years! Be ready to enter with Christ.

Годы! В вечный славный Божий дом.

Gody! V vechnyy slavnyy Bozhiy dom.

Years! God's eternal glorious home.

Годы! Там святые без числа.

Gody! Tam svyatyye bez chisla.

Years! There [are] saints without number.

Годы! Все поют Христу: "Хвала!"

Gody! Vse poyut Khristu: "Khvala!"

Years! All sing to Christ: "Praise!"

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It seems that there are other versions of this song and at least one other verse.
Source: https://noty-bratstvo.org/sites/default/files/yunostj-Iisusu-1.pdf

Years of Youth—They Fly Away!

1.
The years!  Years of youth—they fly away!
The years,  Ne'er returns a single day;
The years,  toward the end we're drawn along;
The years,  days depart, we can't prolong!

2.
The years,  in our lives they bring us change;
The years,  ev'ry hour uncharted range.
The years,  you have now a head of white;
The years,  day has quickly turned to night!

3.
The years,  closer home with ev'ry year,
The years,  soon we'll meet with Christ so dear!
The years,  soon midnight, the year will pass!
The years,  soon our Lord will come at last!

4.
The years,  then for Jesus consecrate,
The years,  all the fruit of life donate;
The years,  one has passed and then another—
The years,  think on this and spur each other!


5. (The additional verse that is not sung by Simon)
The years! Ready then as Christ shall come
The years! To His ageless glorious home;
The years! There His countless saints shall raise
The years! Songs to Christ in endless Praise!

Here are the English lyrics set to the music (which is close to what Simon sings)—

Note: Simon takes a great deal of liberty with the tempo and timing

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It seems that there are other versions of this song and at least one other verse.
Source: https://noty-bratstvo.org/sites/default/files/yunostj-Iisusu-1.pdf

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,

[Through the] desert sinful, worldly,

Где неправды гнетущий обман,

Gde nepravdy gnetushchiy obman,

Where [is] not-truth oppressive deceit  (Where is the oppressive deceit of falsehood)

Я к Отчизне иду неземной

YA k Otchizne idu nezemnoy

I to Fatherland go ethereal (or unearthly)

По кровавым следам христиан.

Po krovavym sledam khristian.

Along [the] bloody tracks [of] Christians.

Припев — chorus

В край родной, неземной

V kray rodnoy, nezemnoy

To [the] land native, ethereal

От обмана мирской суеты

Ot obmana mirskoy suyety

From deceitful [of] 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,

Darkens evening mist (The evening mist darkens)

Длится тяжкий и скорбный мой путь,

Dlitsya tyazhkiy i skorbnyy moy put',

Continues sore and mournful my way,  (Continues my sore & mournful 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,

After 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.

Will shine Zion's gates.

       Припев — chorus

4.  Not sung----

Ведь там ожидают меня

Ved' tam ozhidayut menya

After all there [they] epect me

Все омытые кровью Христа,

Vsye omytyye krov'yu Khrista,

All [who are] washed [by] blood [of] Christ,

Они встретят, любовью горя,

Oni vstretyat, lyubov'yu gorya,

They will meet, [with] love burning

Пилигрима усталой земли.

Piligrima ustaloy zemli.

Pilgrims of [the] weary earth.

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Happy Childhood — Счастливое Детство

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 безпризорных

No yest' mnogo detey bezprizornykh

But there are many children without overseers/oversight,

Лишены всех родительских благ

Lisheny vsekh roditel'skikh blag

Deprived of all parental good

И ютятся в ущельях убогих

I yutyatsya v ushchel'yakh ubogikh

And huddle in ravines 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.

Another version of the same song, this time sung by

children of the Slavic Trinity Church, Sacramento, CA

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