The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Don't let my young age fool you." (Na vozrast molodoy moy ne smotri) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

Don't you look at my tender age,

And don't you cling to youth's embrace,

Christ was sold by Judas at thirty-three,

But I was sold at eighteen, you see.

Christ was better off—he could believe

At least in the remaining eleven,

While I sit here and suffer all my time:

Which one of them had me thus hidden?

На мой на юный возраст не смотри,

И к молодости нечего цепляться,

Христа Иуда продал в тридцать три,

Ну а меня продали в восемнадцать.

Христу-то лучше — всё ж он верить мог

Хоть остальным одиннадцати ребятам,

А я сижу и мучаюсь весь срок:

Ну кто из них из всех меня упрятал?

In the song "Don't look at my young age", Vladimir Vysotsky uses the biblical motif of Judas' betrayal of Christ to convey the lyrical hero's deep sense of disappointment and resentment. Comparing his fate to the fate of Christ, the hero emphasizes the injustice of his situation: he was "sold" in his youth, deprived of illusions and faith in others.

The age of Christ at the time of betrayal - 33 years - is contrasted with the 18 years of the hero, which enhances the tragedy of the situation. Christ, according to the author, found solace in faith, in the loyalty of his disciples. The lyrical hero is deprived of this too: he is alone in his grief and does not know who exactly betrayed him ("Well, which one of them put me away?").

The song is filled with bitterness and sarcasm. Youth, which is traditionally associated with joy and carelessness, is colored by betrayal and pain for the hero. He seems to be saying: "Don't look at my youth, it didn't bring me happiness, I have already known all the bitterness of betrayal".