The curse of our age is haste,
And man, who’s mopping sweat from face,
Rushes as pawn about his ways
Brought by time pressure to the bay.

In haste they drink, in haste they love,
And soul is going down.
In haste they beat, in haste destruct
And then repent in hurry.

But you for only once in world,
When it’s asleep or boils and fumes,
Stop for a while as horse in foam
That scented precipice at hooves.

Stop on a halfway, do not go,
Trust in the heaven as in judge,
Think hard – if not about the Lord –
Think of yourself at least, your life.

Under the rustle of decrepit leaves,
Under steam engine’s raucous scream,
He’s sorry sight who runs off feet,
Who stopped to run – he’s great, he’s big.

Sweeping small worries off your life
Start thinking of eternity at last.
And hesitation holy, please do mind,
Will pour in legs like lead to stop your run.

Great power hesitation has,
When stepping on a faulty way
Towards faulty stars that loom ahead
You’re undecided, hesitate to wade.

Treading on someone’s faces as on leaves,
Halt for a while! You are as blind as Viy.
The very chance to stop and think
Don’t ever kill with all your rushing zeal.

When trampling busy toward the goal
On bodies as if they were stones,
Stop you, who has neglected God, –
Mind, it’s yourself you’re walking on!

When you are pushed by spite and all
Towards disregard of soul and heart,
Towards infamy of shot and word,
Don’t be in hurry, don’t comply.

Stop, do not move, you walking blindfold,
The populace of Mother Earth!
Stand still, you bullet, flying from Colt,
The bomb in air, do not move, just stop!

Oh man, oh you, whose name is holy,
Lifting up eyes with prayer filled,
Betwixt the breakup and the lechery
Just stop and do not move, stand still!

1967