Our former motto – 

Which didn’t allow one to look back at their past! –

Was ‘Go, go!’ [lit.‘Forward, forward!’]

Our state emblem  

Was hammer and sickle.

We were proud of that!

We were so proud

That were close to bursting

Not able to contain ourselves

In the Soviet Union’s borders.

Of course,

It is better to be proud [=brag]

Of instruments of labour,

VS ammunition.

(Labour [=toil] is indeed, 

the most precious, sacred occupation).

…However,

Their sharp sickle! –

Was cutting down

People!

Not grass and crops.

(My blood,

That poured like water,

Was sucked into [the Earth.])

Their hammer

Hit on my head

And grounded me.

My vertebral column was smashed,

And my tibia shattered…

…Why we

Keep deceiving ourselves 

Saying this and that?

Their sickle 

Has mowed us down

With such a rigour – 

We can’t grow [=multiply] ever since.

When we talk today

We [brag that we] are all-valiant,

All-batyrs.*

Oh God,

Their hammer! –

Grounded us so hard

That we are still –

Underground

We are not pulled out.