Эдвард Лир - Книга бессмыслицы

There was an Old Man of the Nile,

Who sharpened his nails with a file,

Till he cut out his thumbs,

And said calmly, 'This comes

Of sharpening one's nails with a file!

There was an Old Person of Rheims ([город во Франции]),

Who was troubled with horrible dreams (обеспокоен, мучим ужасными снами);

So, to keep him awake (потому, чтобы держать его бодрствующим = не давать ему уснуть)

They fed him on cake (/они/ его кормили тортом),

Which amused (что забавляло) that Old Person of Rheims.

There was an Old Person of Rheims,

Who was troubled with horrible dreams;

So, to keep him awake

They fed him on cake,

Which amused that Old Person of Rheims.

There was an Old Person of Cromer,

Who stood on one leg to read Homer (стоял на одной ноге, чтобы читать Гомера);

When he found he grew stiff (когда он обнаружил, /что/ он стал окостеневшим, одеревеневшим = что нога затекла; find— находить; grow— расти; становиться ),

He jumped over the cliff (спрыгнул с утеса),

Which concluded (прикончило) that Person of Cromer.

There was an Old Person of Cromer,

Who stood on one leg to read Homer;

When he found he grew stiff,

He jumped over the cliff,

Which concluded that Person of Cromer.

There was an old person of Troy,

Whose drink was warm brandy and soy (питьем которого были теплое бренди и соя),

Which he took with a spoon (которые он брал ложкой),

By the light of the moon (при свете луны),

In sight of the city of Troy (с видом на город).

There was an old person of Troy,

Whose drink was warm brandy and soy,

Which he took with a spoon,

By the light of the moon,

In sight of the city of Troy.

There was an Old Man of the Dee ([город в Шотландии]),

Who was sadly annoyed by a flea (досадно раздражен, раздражаем блохой = которому не давала покоя, надоедала блоха);

When he said, 'I will scratch it (расцарапаю это /блоху/),

They gave him a hatchet (дали топор),

Which grieved (что огорчило) that Old Man of the Dee.

There was an Old Man of the Dee,

Who was sadly annoyed by a flea;

When he said, 'I will scratch it,

They gave him a hatchet,

Which grieved that Old Man of the Dee.

There was an Old Man of Dundee ([город в Шотландии]),

Who frequented the top of a tree (часто посещал верхушку дерева);

When disturbed by the crows (когда был потревожен воронами),

He abruptly arose (внезапно поднялся; arise— подниматься ),

And exclaimed, 'I'll return (воскликнул, я вернусь) to Dundee.

There was an Old Man of Dundee,

Who frequented the top of a tree;

When disturbed by the crows,

He abruptly arose,

And exclaimed, 'I'll return to Dundee.

There was an Old Person of Tring,

Who embellished his nose with a ring (украсил свой нос кольцом);

Ha gazed at the moon (пристально смотрел на луну)

Every evening in June (каждый вечер в июне),

That ecstatic (исступленный) Old Person in Tring.

There was an Old Person of Tring,

Who embellished his nose with a ring;

Ha gazed at the moon

Every evening in June,

That ecstatic Old Person in Tring.

There was an Old Man on some rocks (на одних скалах),

Who shut his wife up in a box (захлопнул его жену в коробке);

When she said, 'Let me out! (выпусти меня)

He exclaimed (воскликнул), 'Without doubt (без сомнения),

You will pass all your life (проведешь всю твою жизнь) in that box.

There was an Old Man on some rocks,

Who shut his wife up in a box;

When she said, 'Let me out!

He exclaimed, 'Without doubt,

You will pass all your life in that box.

There was an Old Man of Coblenz ([город в Германии]),

The length of whose legs was immense (длина ног которого была колоссальна: «неизмерима»);

He went with one prance (от шел с одним скачком)

From Turkey to France,

That surprising Old Man of Coblenz (удивительный).

There was an Old Man of Coblenz,

The length of whose legs was immense;

He went with one prance

From Turkey to France,

That surprising Old Man of Coblenz.

There was an Old Man of Calcutta,

Who perpetually ate bread and butter (беспрестанно ел хлеб и масло),

Till a great bit of muffin (пока огромный кусок сдобы),

On which he was stuffing (которым он запихивал /в себя/),

Choked (задушила) that horrid Old Man of Calcutta (ужасного, отвратительного).

There was an Old Man of Calcutta,

Who perpetually ate bread and butter,

Till a great bit of muffin,

On which he was stuffing,

Choked that horrid Old Man of Calcutta.

There was Old Man in a pew (в отгороженном месте в церкви, в кафедре),

Whose waistcoat was spotted with blue (жилетка «запятнана синим» = в синюю точку);

But he tore it in pieces (но он разорвал ее на куски)

To give to his nieces (чтобы отдать его племянницам),

That cheerful Old Man in a pew (неунывающий).

There was Old Man in a pew,

Whose waistcoat was spotted with blue;

But he tore it in pieces

To give to his nieces,

That cheerful Old Man in a pew.

There was an Old Man who said, 'How (как)

Shall I flee from that horrible cow (как мне убежать от этой ужасной коровы)?