Shevchenko had heard a story of nuns in a convent conveying messages to
one another interspersed in the words of the religious service. The
messages were to the effect that company was coming that night and
there would be music and dancing. Hence this sardonically humorous
poem.
Strike lightning above this house,
This house of God where we are dying,
Where we think lightly of Thee, God,
And, thinking lightly, sing
Hallelujah.
Were it not for Thee,
we had loved men;
Had courted and married,
Brought up children,
Taught them and sung
Hallelujah.
Thou hast cheated us,
poor wretches!
And we, defrauded and unlucky,
Ourselves have fooled Thee,
And howled and sung: Hallelujah.
With barber’s shears hast put us in this nunnery,
And we—young women still—
We dance and sing,
And singing say: Hallelujah.