Но Ленский, не имев, конечно,
But Lensky having not of course
Охоты узы брака несть,
A wish to bear the marriage bonds,
С Онегиным желал сердечно
Onegin with would want disclosed
Знакомство покороче свесть.
Acquaintance to perform yet forth.
Они сошлись. Волна и камень,
They had approached. Like wave and stone,
Стихи и проза, лед и пламень
Like verse and prose, ice and glow
Не столь различны меж собой.
That not so different were in fact.
Сперва взаимной разнотой
At first with badges of their rank
Они друг другу были скучны;
They boring were each other to;
Потом понравились; потом
Then they did like and afterwards
Съезжались каждый день верхом
Did gather every day on horse,
И скоро стали неразлучны.
And soon became they not in two.
Так люди (первый каюсь я)
So people (it should be confessed)
От делать нечего друзья.
To do from nothing were the friends.