...Oy, yak bulo z-za obriyu
Vyplyvaly knyazi chovny:
Ratnykiv sotni – chyselna druzyna
Iz Kyyeva na Vizantiyu rushyly...

Blystily mechi ta shtandarty Peruna –
Stychaly Dniprovs'ki porohy!
Strimko letily chovny Svyatoslava –
Nesly z yich bo vnuky Strybozi!
Bez boyu zdalysya chrystovi paskudy,
Pobachyvshy shchyt iz Svastyam...
Chas proyshov ta pidlotoyu vzyaly:
Pomer Knyaz' y Rus' ukrylas' neshchastyam...

Topyly v krovi, gvaltuvaly – chrestyly;
Vilnych Rosiv rabamy zrobyly.
Na Zemli Prabat'kiv vze novi chazyayi;
Na Svyashchennych Miscyach smerdyat' cerkvy...

Chomu z ne znaly?! Ne zruynuvaly,
Vshchent ne hromyly, Carhrad ne spalyly?!
Oy, yak by to znaly – ne chekaly b:
Spovna b zaplatyly – Rus' by ne zhanbyly!
Hey, Svyatoslave! De z tvoya mohyla?!
De taya syla? Smert' vze Rus' skosyla!
Vstavay, Knyaz' Mohutniy! Viys'ko chekaye!
Vedy nas, Knyaze! U pochid vyrushaymo!

Chay ruchnut' chresty, bo my znyshchymo brechnyu!
Roztroshchymo otrutu chrysta hnivom Peruna!
Vyrvemo z korenem zalo
Z tila Rodu pradavnimy runamy!
Chay znovu na nashiy Svyashchenniy Zemli
Slava spravznim Heroyam lunaye;
Chay Vilnyi ta Chesnyi Rus'kyi Narid
Sercem chystym Viru Bat'kiv pryhadaye!..