Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Робота Не Вовк! (Robota Ne Vovk!) by Yarem4uk from Ukrainian to English.
These lyrics have verified word for word translations. Click any lyric word to see the translation and hear the pronunciation!
Robota, ne vovk, v lis ne ubizhyt
Work, not a wolf, will not run into the forest
Michtaiu v 20 rokiv do pensii dozhyt
I dream of living to retirement at the age of 20
Ale robyty treba, u nas takyi obychai
But it must be done, we have such a custom
Pochti bezplatno, yak u nas za zvychai
Almost free, as is our custom
Provchyvsia 8 rokiv i maie dva diplomy
He studied for 8 years and has two diplomas
Bo chasto tak sluchaiutsia zhyzneni oblomy
Because that's how life's troubles often happen
I na kasi v marketi paketik predlahaie
And at the checkout in the market, the package is offered
Korochka bakalavra niiak ne pomohaie
A bachelor's degree does not help in any way
Abo na stroitsi tiahaty ti tsementy
Or to haul those cements on the construction site
Pochynaiesh tsinuvaty radisni momenty
You begin to appreciate happy moments
Baton i moloko, chekushka dlia sohrieva
A loaf of bread and milk, a heating pad
Rozkazuiu, bo bachyv- obstavyna zhyttieva
I'm telling you because I saw it - it's a life circumstance
Lysh raduie odne-koly ye pereryv
The only thing that pleases me is when there is a break
Nicho ne robym, dlia na nachalstva tse mozgha vzryv
We don't do anything, it's a brain explosion for the superiors
Rukoiu pomakhav, skazav vsim dosvidaniia
He waved his hand and told everyone about the experience
Robota robotoiu, a obid po rospisaniiu
Work is work, and lunch is scheduled
Zarplata minimalna, rozzhyvsia na 3200
The salary is minimal, living on 3200
A vzhe 8k, otse veseli visti
And already 8k, this is good news
Teper vizmu shche vafliv ya sobi do chaiu
Now I'll have some more waffles for my tea
Bo yak kazav mudriets-kopiiky ne poluchaiu
Because, as the wise man said, I don't get a penny
Pidnimaiesh sraku y zrazu na robotu
You wake up and immediately go to work
I v ponedilok, i zranku u subotu
Both on Monday and in the morning on Saturday
Zarplatu ne daiut, ale treba robyty
The salary is not given, but it has to be done
I robotu svoiu liubyty i tsinyty
And to love and appreciate your work
Mama kazala vchysia budesh hroshy maty
My mother said study and you will have money
Ale ne skazala de yikh budu braty
But she did not say where I will take them
Shchob vse same krashche prynesty do khyzhi
It is better to bring everything to the predator
Tre proibaty zhyzn i zarobyty hryzhi
It is necessary to eat life and earn hernias
Prozhyvav zhyttia y potom na zarobitky
Lived life and then earned money
I popav na vse zhyttia u rabski sitky
And fell into slave nets for the rest of his life
Kopiiku do kopiiky sklav, ne durno vchyvsia
He saved a penny for a penny, he didn't study stupidly
Paru dniv proishlo-finansovyi zapas skinchyvsia
A couple of days passed - the financial stock ran out
Zarplata na mistsi, roboty dobavliaietsia
Salary on the spot, work is added
A shykarna zhyzn vid mene viddaliaietsia
And the luxurious life is moving away from me
I vrodi vse stabilno, i na shos ye nadiia
And it seems that everything is stable, and there is hope for something
Ale yak kazhut- duren dumkoiu radiie
But as they say, a fool rejoices in thought
Zarplata minimalna, rozzhyvsia na 3200
The salary is minimal, living on 3200
A vzhe 8k- otse veseli visti
And already 8k - this is good news
Teper vizmu shche vafliv ya sobi do chaiu
Now I'll have some more waffles for my tea
Bo yak kazav mudriets-kopiiky ne poluchaiu
Because, as the wise man said, I don't get a penny
Lyrics and Translations Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Did you like this lyrics translation?
грижі — hernias
Грижі translates to "hernias". It's a rather unexpected and vivid word to find in a song, especially one about work and life's struggles.
In the context of the song, the lyrics state: "Тре проїбати жизнь і заробити грижі" (You have to waste your life and earn hernias). This line uses a dark, sarcastic humor to highlight the harsh realities of demanding, poorly paid labor, suggesting that the only reward for a lifetime of hard work might be physical ailments rather than financial success. It's a memorable and impactful word that underscores the song's critical message about the value of labor.
This song plays on a well-known Ukrainian saying, "робота не вовк, в ліс не втече" - work is not a wolf, it won't run off into the woods. In other words, there's no need to rush into it.
The lyrics follow a narrator stuck in the grind of underpaid work: a degree that doesn't help, a minimum-wage job, and a paycheck that disappears within days. He wanted to retire comfortably by twenty, but instead spends his days hauling boxes, working the till, and dreaming about a couple of waffles with his tea as a small daily reward.
It's a wry, self-deprecating take on hustle culture and financial anxiety, wrapped in a catchy, repeated hook about a paycheck of "3200" that never stretches far enough.
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