My friend has left for Magadan -
Hats off, hats off!
He drove himself, he drove himself -
Not by a transport, not by a transport.

Not because he was down on his luck -
Not to defy someone,
Not because of the gossip: His being a crank, -
But just so. But just so.

Maybe someone said: "To no purpose!
How can one decide thus - loose everything
Where there are nothing but camps,
And in them are murderers and in them are murderers..."

He answered: "Don’t believe the gossip -
There are no more than in Moscow!"
Then packs a suitcase
And - to Magadan! And - to Magadan!

Not because of me - not the years, -
I could jump in the night out of an electric train
But I don’t go to Magadan,
Forgetting habits, closing quotation marks.

I shall sing to the sound of the chords
About what he is going to see,
About what I haven’t seen in life, -
About Magadan. About Magadan.

My friend went by himself -
He has enough, he has enough, -
He won’t be beaten in the convoy -
He goes voluntarily, he goes voluntarily.

I honour my godgiven fate...
And perhaps - to Magadan too?
Drive together with the friend -
Und lie at the bottom!..