This reading assignment is to learn the Russian version of God's Wondrous Works, song number five from Sing out Joyfully to Jehovah. The Russian version is not a word-for-word translation from English, nor does it keep the exact imagery of the English version. Instead the translator chose Russian words and images which are familiar, reverential, and able to reach the heart.
The title is “Удивительные дела Бога”. World-for-word this means “The astonishing affairs of God”. The word “дела” refers to a person’s activities, his business, his affairs, his works.
The song takes the form of a prayer, words addressed directly to God. As always in Russian he is addressed as “ты” which means “thou”.
знать—to know; знаешь—thou knowest
точно—precisely
убежать—to run away
от взгляда твоего—away from thy gaze
стараться—to be making an effort; стараюсь—I am making an effort
вести—to lead, to conduct
известный—known
мысли—thoughts
видеть (here in the past tense “видел”)—to see
зарождаться—to be conceived
зарождаться (here in the past tense “зарождался”)—to be being conceived
знакомый (here in the short form plural “знакомы”)—familiar, known
пути—ways
любовь—love
убеждаться (here in the past tense “убеждался”)—to be being convinced
прославлять—to be praising and glorifying; прославляю—I am praising and glorifying
чудные дела—miraculous works
внушать—to be inspiring (fear or respect); внушают—they are inspiring
замысла (here in the plural “замыслы”)—a design, intention, idea
почтенье (poetic spelling of почтение)—reverence
достойный (here in the short form plural “достойны”)—worthy
похвала—the praise; всех похвал—of all the praises
если б (variant of “если бы”)—if it were to be that
тьма—darkness
покрыть (here “покрыла” which is the past tense and feminine to agree with “тьма”)—to move to cover
творенье (poetic spelling of творение)—the creation
дух—spirit
отыскать (here in the past tense “отыскал”)—to seek out
знать—to know; знаю—I know
где б я ни был (variant of “где б я не был”)—wheresoever I might be
убежать—to run away, to flee
от взора твоего—away from thy sight
сойти—to descend; сойду ли—Were I to descend
отыскать—to seek out
прах—the dust
взойти—to ascend toward some place; взойду ли я—were I to ascend
небо—heaven
глаза—eyes
скрыть—to hide, to conceal; не скроешь ничего—thou can’st hide nothing (In the sense “One can hide nothing”)