Jacek Kowalski - Duma o Chodkiewiczu

The Dawn and Evening Stars, the Aurora,
You behold the world and the ocean, the sea,
Where the Lithuanian sun has sunk,
It was good with Karol Chodkiewicz by our side,
Where the Lithuanian sun has sunk,
It was good with Karol Chodkiewicz by our side,

Days bloomed with joyous triumphs,
The world rang with tales of victories,
When armed troops from distant lands,
Defeated weaker forces that crossed the seas,
When armed troops from distant lands,
Defeated weaker forces that crossed the seas,

Do you remember, you remember well Iberpol,
Derbcie, Parnawa, and the famed Kircholm,
And other places where armies fell,
Where strongholds never found their place,
And other places where armies fell,
Where strongholds never found their place,

Now, in the fields of Inflants, he is no longer seen,
The blood of Sudermańska stains the scorched earth,
Armies are no longer being prepared for joyous battles,
No longer does he save the beloved homeland,
Armies are no longer being prepared for joyous battles,
No longer does he save the beloved homeland,

Nor will we see him in Moscow’s land,
Nor by the fearsome Turkish Danube,
In bloody battles, where enemies fell,
Where peace itself finally arrived,
In bloody battles, where enemies fell,
Where peace itself finally arrived,

The Bychów ramparts, the famed ramparts,
And the Lachowickie walls, unconquered,
Fortresses, mighty strongholds you built,
While in your youth, you suffered in a hut,
Fortresses, mighty strongholds you built,
While in your youth, you suffered in a hut,

There was your joy, there your delight,
Where martial feasts were held,
Where cannons thundered and ramparts rang,
Sabres, lances, and spears cracked,
Where cannons thundered and ramparts rang,
Sabres, lances, and spears cracked,

Thus, they will call: “The sacred places,
Where banners hang from battles won,
But it was Chodkiewicz who adorned the pillars,
Hanging trophies from the enemy,
But it was Chodkiewicz who adorned the pillars,
Hanging trophies from the enemy,”

And hearing eternity, it will wonder,
With a sorrowful heart, it will say:
“Ah, if only he had left us a descendant,
So that such great sorrow would not have struck the homeland,
Ah, if only he had left us a descendant,
So that such great sorrow would not have struck the homeland.”

Like birds in an abandoned nest,
They cry out for their father in every direction,
When a hawk, a marauder, wounds their nest,
And the father does not come to their aid,
When a hawk, a marauder, wounds their nest,
And the father does not come to their aid,

Ah, today there is much longing for you,
Much sighing deeply for you,
Father of the homeland, revered griffin,
Where have you flown away in this troubled time,
Father of the homeland, revered griffin,
Where have you flown away in this troubled time,

Oh Chodkiewicz, valiant hetman,
As long as the sun still runs across the sky,
The homeland will never cease to sigh,
Whenever it remembers your departure,
The homeland will never cease to sigh,
Whenever it remembers your departure.