It’s no use to talk to thee! I think What thou say’st is but a rambling chatter. So I’ll better go to have a drink, And discuss with boys a serious matter. They have vital questions to decide, For example: “Who’s the most hard drinker?” And their range of interests is wide - From our stand to where they sell hard liquors. We debate two quite important points, As we hold a heated conversation: One is how to get the missing coins, And the other - who will fetch libation. Thou giv’st me bread kvass instead of wine - I’m not able to justify thy vision... Thy horizon is different from mine, Thou shouldst polish up thy erudition!
© Akbar Muhammad. Translation, 2015
(akbarmuhammad.awardspace.co.uk)
[Adapted from Alec Vagapov’s “It’s no use to talk to you...”.]