works

Hypocrites, with vipers’ tongues,Rogues accursed by heaven!Yea, you love your brother’s skin,Never mind his soul!Fleece him ‘by law’ when you need money:A daughter’s fine fu r stole,Or a dowry for your bastard,Slippers for your wife,And expenses you don’t mentionIn your family life IWhy, then wast Thou crucified,Christ, Thou Son of God?Was it ju st for us good people?For the word of truth?So th at we would mock Thee, maybe?T hat's the way it was!Shrines and chapels, candelabra.Ikons, clouds of incense,Deep prostrations, never tiring,Honouring Thine Image;— Grant them theft and w ar and murder,So th at they may kill a brother,Behold, they offer gifts to Thee!Loot from a fire, fine tapestry I.... “We are the enlightened! NowWe bring the radiant sun,Reveal the blessed light of truthTo sightless little ones.Come to us, and all you oughtTo know will be made plain:Prison building will be taught,How to forge your chains,Now to wear them, how the knoutIs plaited — we’ll explainAll our science. Only yieldYour dark-blue mountains, please —They alone defy us now,We hold the plains and seas!”And they drove you there, Yakiv, to die as a stranger,My friend, my one friend! Not for our Ukraina,But for her hangman they made you shed blood,— Not black Mood, but good; and you drank yourrewardProm a Muscovite chalice of Muscovite poison.My friend, my dear friend, in my thoughts unforgotten I45