The Demon / Демон. Книга для чтения на английском языке. Михаил Лермонтов

      Since the beginning of all time

      Your image on the eternal air

      Has gone before me – till this hour.

      My soul has long been troubled by

      The sweet sounds of the name you bear;

      And in my days of blessedness

      You were my only lack. If only

      You could but understand the lonely

      Embittered boredom of existence

      When, century on century,

      Alone in suffering and joy

      In evil meeting no resistance,

      For good receiving no reward,

      Enclosed in self, by self most bored,

      A never-ending war to wage

      Past hope to triumph or destroy

      Past hope of making peace again!

      To pity where I would desire.

      To know all things from age to age,

      Seek hatred's all-consuming fire

      And nought to find but cool disdain!

      For since God's curse upon me came

      All natural ardours have grown cold.