The meaning of the lyrics of the song "In the beginning was the word of sorrow and longing." (Snachala byilo slovo pechali i toski) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

At first, there was a Word of sadness and of grief,

In throes of creativity, the planet was conceived.

Huge chunks of land broke off and drifted far and wide,

Becoming islands somewhere on the ocean's tide.

And wandering the world, no cargo, flag, nor name,

Through millions of years, across all eras, times, and fame,

The island changed its face, a hermit, vagabond at large,

But kept the nature and the spirit of its parent's charge.

At first, there was a Word, but words had ceased to be,

When sailors populated Earth, and sailed the open sea.

They scrambled up the gangplanks, those islands to explore,

And named them all as ships, in honor of the shore.

But firmly holds the coast, a grip that won't let go,

And islands will return, of that, there is no doubt, you know.

For maritime laws prevail, a different kind of sway,

They guard the laws and honor of the mainland far away.

Will science ever pardon this analogy we've made,

This freedom in interpreting the theories we surveyed?

And if indeed, at first, a word on Earth took hold,

Then surely, it was "ocean," a story to be told!

Сначала было Слово печали и тоски

Рождалась в муках творчества планета,

Рвались от суши в никуда огромные куски

И островами становились где-то

И, странствуя по свету без фрахта и без флага

Сквозь миллионолетья, эпохи и века

Менял свой облик остров, отшельник и бродяга

Но сохранял природу и дух материка

Сначала было Слово, но кончились слова

Уже матросы Землю населяли,

И ринулись они по сходням вверх на острова

Для красоты назвав их кораблями

Но цепко держит берег - надежней мертвой хватки,

И острова вернутся назад наверняка

На них царят морские - особые порядки

На них хранят законы и честь материка

Простит ли нас наука за эту параллель

За вольность в толковании теорий,

И если уж сначала было слово на Земле

То это, безусловно, - слово "море"!

In Vladimir Vysotsky's poem "First there was the Word of sorrow and grief", the author reinterprets the biblical truth about the creation of the world by the word, offering his own version of the origin of the Earth and human civilization.

The poem is filled with metaphors, personifications and epithets, creating an image of the painful and beautiful birth of the planet. "Huge chunks were breaking off from the mainland to nowhere" – this line conveys the drama of the geological processes that shape the face of the Earth. The image of an island-hermit, a wanderer who preserves "the nature and spirit of the mainland", symbolizes an inextricable link with the source, with the primordial land.

The appearance of man is indicated by the metaphor "sailors inhabited the Earth". People, striving for beauty and knowledge, are likened to navigators, conquering uncharted territories. By calling the islands "ships", they transfer their familiar marine realities to land, thus emphasizing their connection with the sea.

However, the author reminds of the "tenacious grip" of the coast, that the islands "will return", obeying the laws of nature. The image of "marine - special orders" symbolizes the strength and greatness of the ocean, its dominant role in the life of the planet.

In the final part of the poem, Vysotsky addresses science, wondering about the permissibility of his "liberty in interpreting theories". He offers his own version of the "first word" - "sea", asserting its paramount importance in the origin of life and the formation of human civilization.

Thus, the poem "First there was the Word of sorrow and grief" is a philosophical reflection on the creation of the world, on the place of man in it, on the greatness and power of nature.