The lyrics are paraphrased from the Russian poem of the same name by Anna Akhmatova, on the suffering of the people during the Great Purge. This is fitting, considering that Patriot had regarded FrostNova as his own daughter, yet he outlived her, and also makes Requiem one of the three Arknights music tracks that are entirely in Russian, the others being Lullabye and Proshchaniye.
Introduction
The vision remains on the rust, the smoke and dust drift away.
Let go of the languid thoughts and vigilance, go far away in delirium.
[Requiem], stop in the flames of war, back to the early morning in the homeland. Listen, that's the somniloquy from childhood...
Это было, когда улыбался Только мертвый, спокойствию рад а то, что случилось, Пусть черные сукна покроют, И пусть унесут фонари... Ночь.
Уже безумие крылом, Души накрыло половину, И поит огненным вином И манит в черную долину.
И понял я, что ему Должен я уступить победу, Прислушиваясь к своему Уже как бы чужому бреду.
И только пыльные цветы, И звон кадильный, и следы Куда-то в никуда.
И прямо мне в глаза глядит И скорой гибелью грозит Огромная звезда.
Перед этим горем гнутся горы, Не течет великая река.
Уже безумие крылом, Души накрыло половину, И поит огненным вином И манит в черную долину.
И понял я, что ему Должен я уступить победу, Прислушиваясь к своему Уже как бы чужому бреду.
Eto bylo, kogda ulybalsya Tol'ko mertvyy, spokoystviyu rad a to, chto sluchilos' Pust' chernyye sukna pokroyut, I pust' unesut fonari... Noch'.
Uzhe bezumiye krylom, Dushi nakrylo polovinu, I poit ognennym vinom I manit v chernuyu dolinu.
I ponyal ya, chto yemu Dolzhen ya ustupit' pobedu, Prislushivayas' k svoyemu Uzhe kak by chuzhomu bredu.
I tol'ko pyl'nyye tsvety, I zvon kadil'nyy, i sledy Kuda-to v nikuda.
I pryamo mne v glaza glyadit I skoroy gibel'yu grozit Ogromnaya zvezda.
Pered etim gorem gnutsya gory, Ne techet velikaya reka.
Uzhe bezumiye krylom, Dushi nakrylo polovinu, I poit ognennym vinom I manit v chernuyu dolinu.
I ponyal ya, chto yemu Dolzhen ya ustupit' pobedu, Prislushivayas' k svoyemu Uzhe kak by chuzhomu bredu.
In this time, when only the dead were smiling, glad on their release. Let all, that was be with a black cloth muffled, then let the torches be removed... Night.
Madness with its wings has covered half my soul. It feed me fiery wine, and lures me into the abyss.
That's when I understood while listening to my delirium that I must hand the victory to it.
There are now only dusty flowers, the chinking of the thurible, tracks from somewhere into nowhere.
And, staring me in the face, and threatening me with swift annihilation. An enormous star.
The high crags decline before this woe The great river does not flow ahead.
Madness with its wings has covered half my soul. It feed me fiery wine, and lures me into the abyss.
That's when I understood while listening to my delirium that I must hand the victory to it.
Unofficial English translations provided by Hasshu.
It was when only the dead could smile, be glad of tranquility. Let what was befallen be covered with black clothes. Let the night be taken by lights.
Already madness, with its wing, covers a half of my heart and gives me flaming wine, and sinking me deep in darkness.
I thought I must to give "them" my victory. Hearing my own delirium, that now belongs not to me.
There are left flowers covered in dust, incensory singing, traces cast into nothing.
And looking straight into my eyes, Threatening me with a coming death like an immense, gorgeous star.
Mountains falling below this grief, The great river won't flow again.
Already madness, with its wing, covers a half of my heart and gives me flaming wine, and sinking me deep in darkness.
I thought I must to give "them" my victory. Hearing my own delirium, that now belongs not to me.