Вершина [Vershina] [English translation]

Here you do not have a plain, here climate is foreign -

Avalanches come one after another,

And herе behind the rockfall roars rockfall

And it's possible to return, to go around the precipice,

But we choose the hard way,

Dangerous, like a war trail. (x2)

Who has not been here, who has not risked,

He has not challenged himself,

Even if he caught the stars from the sky.

Down there you would not see, regardless of how you stretch,

For the whole of your happy life

Tenth of the beauties and the wonders. (x2)

Not scarlet roses and mournful ribbons,

And not like a monument

That stone, which gifted you a rest.

Like The Eternal fire, sparkles during the day

The peak of emerald ice,

The one, you at the end did not overcome. (x2)

And let them speak, yes, let them speak...

But no, no one dies meaninglessly!

That is better, than from vodka and from cold!

Others will come, change the mood

At risk and at unprecedented work, -

Will go through yours unpassed route. (x2)

Vertical walls... but, do not delay!

You do not rely on your luck here.

In mountains neither the stone, nor the ice, nor the rocks are reliable

We hope only on the firmness of the arm,

On the friend's arm and on hammered hook

And pray so that the belay does not betray us (x2)

We are cutting steps... Not a step back!

And from the pressure the knees are shaking,

And the heart is ready to leave the chest and go towards the peak.

Whole world on your hands! You are happy and speechless

And only a little you envy them,

The others, who have the peak ahead of them. (x2)

• Artist:Vladimir Vysotsky