Ready Russian: Reading 7—Удивительные дела Бога

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

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 Text

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”.

Vocabulary for Lines 1 Through 4

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

Vocabulary for Lines 5 Through 10

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

Vocabulary for Lines 11 Through 18

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”)