The mind can not understand Russia...

Great russian poet  Фёдор Иванович Тютчев  wrote a beautiful poem, which is very popular in Russia:

Умом Россию не понять,
Аршином общим не измерить:
У ней особенная стать –
В Россию можно только верить.

Listen in Russian:



There are many translations, but I like this:

Don't cover Russia with your mind,
Don't use your norms for understanding:
It has its outstanding kind -
You must believe without fading.
(Dianov Anton/Дианов Антон)

and this translation:
You will not grasp her with your mind
Or cover with a common label,
For Russia is one of a kind -
Believe in her, if you are able...

(Anatoly Liberman for magazine Russian Life/Анатолий Либерман)

Wordplay by Anton Chekhov

‎
"Настоящий мужчина состоит из мужа и чина." А.Чехов. Мужчина = муж  (outdated "man", husband) + чин (rank) + ending а.
Anton Chekhov, the famous Russian writer, said -  A real man consists of husband and rank

Tongue twister about parrots

Today learn another tongue twister in Russian:

Говорит попугай попугаю:
"Я тебя, попугай, попугаю".
Попугаю в ответ попугай:
"Попугай, попугай, попугай!"

Listen and repeat:



Translation:
A parrot says to another parrot: "I'll scare you, parrot".
The second parrot answers: "Scare me, parrot, scare me."