Old East Slavic Song - Vladimir the Great | The Skaldic Bard

Here is a song I wrote in Old East Slavic, performed by me and my wife. This time, we are singing about St. Vladimir the Great, a member of the famous Rurikid dynasty of the Kievan Rus and the first Christian Grand Prince. He established a large domain spanning large swathes of modern Ukraine and Russia, from Kyev to the Baltic.

Vladimir is a saint venerated in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. After sending envoys out to see the religions of the world, Vladimir decided to convert to Christianity. His envoys, having seen Constantinople, famously said: “We knew not whether we were in Heaven or on Earth ... We only know that God dwells there among the people, and their service is fairer than the ceremonies of other nations.” Doing so also allowed him to marry the beautiful Princess Anna of the Byzantine Empire. After his conversion, he had many churches built. He is also the leader credited with the Christianisation of the Rus. He admired and was influenced by the Byzantines greatly, which I have tried to convey in both the lyrics and music style.

There isn’t much out there in Old East Slavic and I’ve always wanted to try writing and performing a whole song in it. I hope you get some enjoyment out of it.

My intention is exclusively to teach history and languages through song. I do not condone, endorse or seek to glorify violence.

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Lyrics:
Свѧтꙑи Володимѣре
Svętyi Volodiměre
Saint Vladimir

Молисѧ за нꙑ
Molisę za ny
Pray for us

Володимѣръ вєликꙑи кънѧѕь,
Volodiměrŭ velikyi kŭnędzĭ,
Vladimir, the Grand Prince,

молотъ Руси.
molotŭ Rusi.
Hammer of the Rus.

Гръдъ Рюриковичь,
Grŭdŭ Rurikovičĭ,
Proud member of the house of Rurik,

изъ чиста золота крꙑ.
izŭ čista zolota kry.
blood of pure gold.

Отъ Кꙑѥва до морꙗ варѧгъ
Otŭ kyjeva do morja varęgŭ
From Kyev to the Baltic

въ странѣ приꙗ власть.
vŭ straně prija vlastĭ.
he took power in the land.

Кънѧже Руси великыи,
Kŭnęže rusi velikiyi,
O Grand Prince of the Rus,

веди люди къ побѣдѣ.
vedi ljudi kŭ pobědě.
lead the people to victory.

Володимѣръ, другъ Царюграда,
Volodiměrŭ, drugŭ Carjugrada,
Vladimir, Friend of Constantinople,

мѫжь Аннꙑ красьнꙑѩ.
mǫžĭ Anny krasĭnyję.
husband of Anna the Beautiful.

У цѣсара вѣрѫ обрѣте.
U Cěsara věrǫ obrěte.
With the Emperor, he found the Faith.

Крьстьꙗниномь добръмь бꙑ.
Krĭstĭjaninomĭ dobrŭmĭ by.
A good Christian he became.

Два воѥводѣ противъ Василиꙗ,
Dva vojevodě protivŭ Vasilija,
Two generals rebel against Basil,

жалкаꙗ неприꙗзни!
žalkaja neprijazni!
the pitiable fiends!

На битвѫ присла Володимѣръ
Na bitvǫ prisla Volodiměrŭ
Into war, Vladimir sent

цѣсару воиско своѥ.
cěsaru voisko svoje.
his army for the Emperor.

Володимѣръ, горе козарихъ,
Volodiměrŭ, gore kozarixŭ,
Vladimir, woe of Khazars,

храбръ на поли битвꙑ.
xrabrŭ na poli bitwy.
brave on the battlefield.

Печенѣги же боѭтъсѧ
Pečeněgi že bojǫtŭsę
The Pechenegs also fear

славьнꙑихъ Руси.
slavĭnyixŭ Rusi.
the glorious Rus.

Помьнимъ ϲлово своѥго люда.
Pomĭnimŭ slovo svojego ljuda.
We remember our people’s story.

Въ насъ течетъ крꙑ сѣвера.
Vŭ nasŭ tečetŭ kry sěvera.
Northern blood flows in us.

Силоѭ прѣдъкъ боромъсѧ.
Silojǫ prědŭkŭ boromŭsę.
With ancestral strength, we fight.

Ни ворогъ ни съмьрти не боимъсѧ.
Ni vorogŭ ni sŭmĭrti ne boimŭsę.
We fear neither foe nor death.

Володимѣръ, крьститель Руси.
Volodiměrŭ, krĭstitelĭ Rusi.
Vladimir, Baptiser of the Rus.

Свѧтославичь свѧтꙑи.
Svętoslavičĭ svętyi.
The holy Sviatoslavich.

Строитель цьркъвъ красьнъ,
Stroitelĭ cĭrkŭvŭ krasĭnŭ,
Builder of beautiful churches,

ꙗзꙑческъ идолъ дробитель.
jazyčeskŭ idolŭ drobitelĭ.
crusher of heathen idols.

Въ Дънѣпрѣ же крьщениѥ дано
Vŭ Dŭněprě že krĭščenije dano
And in the Dnieper river, baptism was given

люду Кꙑѥва.
ljudu Kyjeva.
to the people of Kyev.

Да благословитъ господь
Da blagoslovitĭ gospodĭ
May the Lord bless

землѭ вовѣки. Аминъ!
zemlǫ vověki. Aminŭ!
the land forever. Amen!

Да благословитъ господь
Da blagoslovitĭ gospodĭ
May the Lord bless

землѭ вовѣки. Аминъ!
zemlǫ vověki. Aminŭ!
the land forever. Amen!

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