Chtos' prahne slavy – a zyttya pokaze dulku:
Idy, shukay, ishche shukay sebe, neboze! –
A ya – znayshov! Ya naduvayu lyudyam bulku
Taku velyku, shcho nichto taku ne moze.
Ya duyu, duyu, duyu, duyu, vyduvayu,
A chtos' tam breshe, niby duyu ya namarno;
A bulka tak na sceni svitlo vidbyvaye! –
Nu y chay pusta – ta Boze miy, do choho z harna!..

Hop, hop, hop, hylya hop – do choho z bulka harna!

A chtos', yak duren, vse zyttya shukaye Slovo!
Ya znayu trysta! – a yomu c'oho zamalo.
Ya duty vchyv yoho, ta z nym yaka rozmova:
Tak, nache nehrovi rozkazuyesh pro salo...
Ya duyu, duyu, duyu, duyu, ne biduyu,
Ya z myla bulku vze do metra doduvayu! –
A toy i Slovo te znayshov – i holoduye...
A ya za mylom nyni yizdzu na Havayi!

Hop, hop, hop, hylya hop – ya yizdzu na Havayi!

Ya vchora mav iz Yevrobachennyam rozmovu;
Mene spytaly, yak ya vstav na piku mody.
Ya yim skazav: yakshcho y bulo spochatku Slovo,
To nyni y trysta sliv ne roblyat' vze pohody!
Tomu ya duyu, ves' talant u ce kladu ya –
A miy talant vze v poperechnyku – metr sorok! –
Lysh klyati krytyky na zazdroshchach plitkuyut',
Shcho ya – ne heniy, a lyshe vid bulky korok...

Hop, hop, hop, hylya hop – lyshe vid bul...

Ta breshut', suchi dity!..