Hryhorii Skovoroda
Hryhorii Savych Skovoroda (Ukrainian: Григорій Савич Сковорода, Russian: Григорий Саввич Сковорода), born 1722, died 1794, was one of the most influential Ukrainian Cossack poets and philosophers, who wrote mainly in Latin, Greek, and the language of the elite class in Sloboda Ukraine (modern day Sumy Oblast, Kharkiv Oblast, northern Luhansk Oblast, and parts of Belgorod Oblast), which was a dialect of Russian with many Ukrainianisms.
Fun fact: his surname means "frying pan."
Fabula
Как толкω солнце в вечеру запало,
И вездѣ Небо темнозрачнω стало,
На тверди звѣзды блеснули прекрасны,
Как дорогіе Каменья алмазни,
Ѳалес закричал: “Старухо драгая!”
“Чего ти кричиш, Мудросте глупая?”
“Полнω мнѣ уже сидѣть на сем мѣстѣ.
Поведи мене смотрѣти на звѣзды”.
Пошла перед ним старуха драгая,
А за нею вслѣд и Мудрость глупая.
Пошли туди, где Холм високомѣстной,
Отколь способнω смотрѣть на круг звѣздной.
“ωй, – мудрец крикнул, – пропал я, старухо!”
Впав бѣдній в яму, одбил себѣ ухо.
“Не впал бы ты в ров, безтолковій дѣду,
Чему моегω не держишся слѣду?
Как ты, не видя перед носом рова,
Можеш знать звѣзды, главо безтолкова?”
З сих спекуляцїй повела старуха
Назад до дому Мудреца без уха.
Fabula
Right as the sun fell into evening,
And Heaven transfigured to twilight,
The firmament sparkled with starlight,
With the stars like precious diamond stones,
Thales shouted: "O Old Hag dearest!"
"Why do you yell, O Wisdom dullest?"
"I tire of sitting here at this post.
Guide me to look at the starry host."
In front of him walked old hag dearest,
Trailing after her, Wisdom dullest.
They walked to there, to the highest ground,
Where one can see the ring of stars 'round.
"Oy - Wisdom yelled - O Hag, I'm lost here!"
Poor sap fell - a pit! Tore off his ear!
"Fell in a pit! O Geezer worthless,
Why can't you just follow my footsteps?
How can you, to surroundings blinded,
Admire the stars, O Simple-minded?"
From these contemplations, Old Hag led
The Wise Man, less an ear, back to bed.
Fabula (literal translation)
Right as the sun fell into evening,
And Heaven darkened all over,
Beautiful stars shone across the firmament,
Like precious diamond Stones,
And Thales shouted: "O Old Hag dear!"
"Why are you yelling, O Wisdom dull?"
"I am tired of sitting here at this spot.
Guide me to look at the stars."
In front of him walked old hag dearest,
and trailing after her, Wisdom dullest.
They walked there to the high hill,
From where one can see the whole ring of stars.
"Oy - the wise man yelled - I'm lost, O old hag!"
The poor man fell into a pit, and tore off his ear.
"You wouldn't have fallen into a ditch, O worthless old man,
Why didn't you just follow my trail?
How can you, who doesn't see a ditch in front of his nose,
Appreciate the stars, O simple mind?"
From these contemplations the old hag guided
The Wise man back home, without an ear.