She-Wolf: Between Meaning and Silence

Авторська колонка Тимура Левітіна
Part of the series: “Instinct. When language is not enough.”

🔗 Обирайте мову:
➡️ Russian version
➡️ Ukrainian version

🐺 Introduction

She doesn’t scream her pain. She doesn’t flaunt her strength. She simply leaves—if no one listens. And if you’ve ever met one like her, you’ll never mistake her for anyone else.

They call her many names. But most often—She-Wolf.

🎵 Quotation and Translation Analysis

Original (Russian):

Просто одинокая волчица,
Не любого может полюбить.
Словно неприступная царица —
Ни купить нельзя её, ни приручить.
(A. Dobronravov)

🇬🇧 English

Just a lonely she-wolf,
Her heart won’t choose just anyone.
Like a distant, regal queen —
You can’t buy her. You can’t tame her.

Comment:
This version keeps the metaphorical tone and poetic rhythm.
“She-wolf” and “regal queen” evoke both wilderness and dignity.
The line “You can’t tame her” is strong and culturally familiar — especially effective in English where taming suggests both dominance and failed control.

🇩🇪 German

Eine einsame Wölfin –
Nicht jeder kann ihr Herz gewinnen.
Wie eine stolze, unerreichbare Königin –
Weder käuflich, noch zähmbar.

Comment:
“Unerreichbare Königin” (unreachable queen) captures the distant and proud element well.
“Zähmbar” reflects the idea of being untamable — though German makes this feel more serious and firm, slightly losing the poetic warmth of the Russian version.

🇺🇦 Ukrainian

Просто самотня вовчиця —
Не кожному здатна відкрити серце.
Немов горда неприступна цариця —
Не купити й не приручити.

Comment:
Ukrainian preserves both rhythm and poetic tone.
“Відкрити серце” (open the heart) adds emotional depth, and “неприступна” mirrors the idea of dignity and distance perfectly.

🇪🇸 Spanish

Sólo una loba solitaria,
No puede amar a cualquiera.
Como una reina inalcanzable —
Ni comprada, ni domada jamás.

Comment:
“Loba solitaria” is a common image in Spanish pop culture (see Shakira).
“Domada” (tamed) and “inalcanzable” (unreachable) strongly preserve the message, though the tone here leans more toward passion than mystery.

🇫🇷 French

Louve solitaire et fière,
Elle n’aimera pas n’importe qui.
Comme une reine inaccessible —
Ni achetée, ni apprivoisée.

Comment:
“Apprivoisée” is beautifully chosen — same word used in The Little Prince for “tame” in a deep emotional sense.
French adds elegance and softness, yet keeps the power of her independence.

🇯🇵 Japanese

ただの孤独なオオカミ女、
誰にでも心を許すわけじゃない。
高貴で近づきがたい女王のように —
買うことも、飼いならすこともできない。

Comment:
This version emphasizes honor, mystery, and emotional protection — core Japanese concepts of female strength.
“飼いならす” (to domesticate) captures the emotional boundary, but the phrase leans more toward animal imagery than in Western versions — which fits the she-wolf archetype.

🧭 Who is she?

She is not a “successful career woman.” She’s not rebellious. Not arrogant. She simply doesn’t break under the weight of others’ expectations.

She is not posing. She is honest. And that’s why people fear her. And remember her.

💬 Her Voice (Monologue)

I am not proud.
I just won’t stay beside someone who doesn’t know who I am.

I don’t shout. I don’t dramatize.
But if you don’t know how to be—then don’t.

You can’t buy me. You can’t talk me into it. I don’t play games—I live. I don’t seek revenge—I let go. I don’t chase—I disappear.

And if you remember me—it means you knew who was next to you.
If you forgot—then you weren’t ready.

🌍 She-Wolf in World Cultures

🕯 Lyrics, Translation & Meaning

Original:

Когда её лёд перед сердцем горячим растает,
Забудет она своего одиночества боль…

🔸 English:

When her ice melts before a burning heart,
She will forget the pain of loneliness.

💬 Note: “Burning heart” suggests passion, but can sound too sexual.
Better nuance: “before a heart that truly warms her.”

🔸 German:

Wenn ihr Eis vor einem heißen Herzen schmilzt,
vergisst sie den Schmerz der Einsamkeit.

💬 Note: Accurate but cold. Softer version might be:
„Wenn ihr inneres Eis zittert vor einem ehrlichen Blick…“

🔸 Ukrainian:

Коли її лід розтане від гарячого серця —
вона забуде біль самотності.

💬 Natural and poetic. Alternative:
“Якщо її лід дрогне від дотику щирого серця…”

🧃 Comparison: She-Wolf vs. The Girl with Tears

🎵 Lyric from Face2Face (Girl’s POV):

What does she dream of, when tears are on her lashes…

Translations & Reflections:

• 🇬🇧 Англійська: “What does she dream of when tears are on her lashes?” — poetic, clear.
• 🇩🇪 German: „Wovon träumt sie, wenn Tränen auf ihren Wimpern liegen?“ — emotional but heavy.
• 🇺🇦 Ukrainian: “Про що вона мріє, коли сльози тремтять на віях?” — beautiful, but needs soft rhythm.
• 🇪🇸 Spanish: “¿Con qué sueña cuando sus lágrimas tocan sus pestañas?” — elegant, but formal.
• 🇫🇷 French: “À quoi rêve-t-elle quand des larmes coulent sur ses cils ?” — romantic tone.
• 🇯🇵 Japanese: 彼女の睫毛に涙がこぼれる時、何を夢見ているのか — very delicate, mystical.

🔚 Final Thought

She doesn’t yell. She doesn’t explain. She will not ask for attention. She will give you a look—and leave.

And you’ll remember her. Because no one else is like her.

💙 Dedication

🔸 This article is dedicated to my mother — Emma Yuryevna Levitina.
A woman who never conformed, never sought shortcuts.
She lived by what she believed was right—and still does.

She raised me. For better or worse, I am who I am because of her. And I wouldn’t be anyone else.

If there is any truth in these words—
it’s because she is in my life.
Mom.

© Tymur Levitin — Founder, Director and Lead Instructor
Levitin Language School / Стартова мовна школа Тимура Левітіна
Author’s Column: “Instinct. When Language Is Not Enough”
🔗 https://levitinlanguageschool.com
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