FAREWELL, MY SON
Russian Folk Songs with English Translations pp50,51 # 42

Fare-well, my son, and God be with you
As o'er the world you take you way;
My heart is sad that you must leave my side,
And yet I can-not bid you stay,
And yet I can-not bid you stay*

You were my joy, my only comfort
Your smile the light of day for me,
Through all the house your voice like music rang,
Where lonely silence now must be.

I saw you grow from happy childhood,
To manhood all too soon you passed,
I thought your hand would guide my fal'tring steps
Your arm enfold me at the last

How many a night, beside you watching,
I rocked the cradle where you lay,
How oft I prayed that you, my baby son,
A mother's care would need alway

Now you must go, I may not hold you,
My heart must bear its ache, its pain,
And for your coming many a weary day,
My longing eyes must watch in vain.

If I but look amid the branches,
The happy nesting birds I see;
Their little brood they tend with loving care,
No little one is left to me.

When overhead the black clouds gather,
Oh skies above my child be blue,
So shall I ask that all your way be glad,
and pray the sun may shine on you.

But through the years if you had wandered,
In far oft lands too long had strayed,
How would you mourn, if when you came at last,
My weary heart to rest were laid.

From door to door your steps would falter,
Oh, lead me to my mother's side,
And they would turn away their eyes and tell,
For very greif thy mother died.

At peace she rests within the churchyard,
For ever closed her weary eyes,
there stands a cross above a humble grave,
'Tis there, my friend, thy mother lies.

* for each verse the last line repeats