This poem is among the best known in Russian literature, yet considered to be one of the most difficult ones to translate. Particularly Nabokov was moking the very effort to translate to English "Я помню чудное мгновенье..." Nevertheless I decided to give it a try;
I can recall that magic moment
When you first came into my sight
Like fleeting vision, like an omen
Of pure beauty and delight.
So often in my dark surrender,
In stressful days of mundane race
I heard your voice so sweet and tender
And dreamed of your delightful grace.
As years passed and storms got stronger
I lost my dreams to mundane race
I could recall your voice no longer
I could not see your lovely face.
Inprisoned in my desperation
Dragged into misery and strife,
Without God and inspiration
Without tears, love and life.
And then one day my soul awoken
And you came back into my sight
Like fleeting vision, like an omen
Of pure beauty and delight.
My heart beats fast in admiration
And resurrected spirit of
Divinity, and inspiration
And ever tears, life and love.