Эдвард Лир - Книга бессмыслицы

But when it was cold (когда было холодно)

He relinquished his hold (ослабил свою хватку)

And called for some hot buttered toast (попросил несколько горячих масляных /со сливочным маслом/ тостов).

There was an Old Man of the coast,

Who placidly sat on a post;

But when it was cold

He relinquished his hold

And called for some hot buttered toast.

There was an Old Person of Bangor ([город в Уэльсе]),

Whose face was distorted with anger (лицо было искажено гневом, яростью)!

He tore off his boots (разорвал его ботинки),

And subsisted on roots (существовал, кормился корнями),

That irascible Person of Bangor (раздражительный, вспыльчивый).

There was an Old Person of Bangor,

Whose face was distorted with anger!

He tore off his boots,

And subsisted on roots,

That irascible Person of Bangor.

There was an Old Man with a beard (с бородой),

Who sat on a horse when he reared (сидел на коне, когда он встал на дыбы);

But they said, "Never mind (не волнуйтесь)!

You will fall off behind (свалитесь, упадете /с коня/ назад),

You propitious (доброжелательный, благосклонный = добродушный) Old Man with a beard!"

There was an Old Man with a beard,

Who sat on a horse when he reared;

But they said, "Never mind!

You will fall off behind,

You propitious Old Man with a beard!"

There was an Old Man of the West (с Запада),

Who never could get any rest (никогда не мог получить отдых = отдохнуть);

So they set him to spin (заставили его крутиться)

On his nose and chin (на носу и подбородке),

Which cured (что вылечило) that Old Man of the West.

There was an Old Man of the West,

Who never could get any rest;

So they set him to spin

On his nose and chin,

Which cured that Old Man of the West.

There was an Old Person of Anerley,

Whose conduct was strange and unmannerly (поведение которого было странным и невежливым: «лишенным манер»);

He rushed down the Strand (он пронесся вниз на Стрэнду /улица Лондона/)

With a pig in each hand (со свиньей в каждой руке),

But returned in the evening to Anerley (но вернулся вечером).

There was an Old Person of Anerley,

Whose conduct was strange and unmannerly;

He rushed down the Strand

With a pig in each hand,

But returned in the evening to Anerley.

There was a Young Lady of Troy,

Whom several large flies did annoy (несколько, целый ряд больших мух надоедали, приставали);

Some she killed with a thump (убила тяжелым хлопком),

Some she drowned at the pump (нескольких утопила возле насоса),

And some she took with her to Troy (а некоторых она взяла с собой).

There was a Young Lady of Troy,

Whom several large flies did annoy;

Some she killed with a thump,

Some she drowned at the pump,

And some she took with her to Troy.

There was an Old Person of Berlin,

Whose form was uncommonly thin (строение тела которого было необычайно тонким);

Till he once, by mistake (он однажды по ошибке),

Was mixed up in a cake (был замешан в торт),

So they baked (так что испекли) that Old Man of Berlin.

There was an Old Person of Berlin,

Whose form was uncommonly thin;

Till he once, by mistake,

Was mixed up in a cake,

So they baked that Old Man of Berlin.

There was an Old Person of Spain (из Испании),

Who hated all trouble and pain (ненавидел какие-либо неприятности и боль);

So he sat on a chair (сидел на стуле; sit — сидеть ),

With his feet in the air (с ногами в воздухе; foot— нога ),

That umbrageous (мнительный, подозрительный, недоверчивый) Old Person of Spain.

There was an Old Person of Spain,

Who hated all trouble and pain;

So he sat on a chair,

With his feet in the air,

That umbrageous Old Person of Spain.

There was a Young Lady of Russia,

Who screamed so that no one could hush her (вопила так, что никто не мог успокоить ее);

Her screams were extreme (ее крики были чрезвычайными), –

No one heard such a scream (никто не слышал такого вопля)

As was screamed by that Lady from Russia (каким был выкрикиваемый этой дамой из России).

There was a Young Lady of Russia,

Who screamed so that no one could hush her;

Her screams were extreme, —

No one heard such a scream

As was screamed by that Lady from Russia.

There was an Old Man who said, 'Well (хорошо)!

Will nobody answer this bell ( никто не ответит на звонок)?

I have pulled day and night (дергал день и ночь),

Till my hair has grown white (пока мои волосы не стали белыми; grow— расти; становиться ),

But nobody answers this bell!

There was an Old Man who said, 'Well!

Will nobody answer this bell?

I have pulled day and night,

Till my hair has grown white,

But nobody answers this bell!

There was a Young Lady of Wales (из Уэльса),

Who caught a large fish without scales (поймала большую рыбу без чешуи; catch — поймать, ловить );

When she lifted her hook (когда она подняла свой крючок)

She exclaimed (воскликнула), 'Only look (только посмотрите)!

That ecstatic Young Lady of Wales (исступленная).

There was a Young Lady of Wales,

Who caught a large fish without scales;