There is no English translation available for this song. If you are able to provide one, please include it in an email to TsutisopeliProject@gmail.com and we will update the page.

Ertma Gogom Kva Mesrola

Ertma gogom kva mesrola               

Momets shena vardi sk’ona            

Me im kvam vera damak’lo

Gogom guli damighona

Chemo gogo shen miqvarkhar gepitsebi

Gepitsebi meqvarebi

There is no English translation available for this song. If you are able to provide one, please include it in an email to TsutisopeliProject@gmail.com and we will update the page.

Erzhi Bargash

Erzhi bargash hana dialkhura

Erzhi bargash hana dialkhu tsakha ara

Tsakha ara tsakha ara

Erzhi bargash hana dialkhu tsakha ara

Hovita bokhushbursh madukha busuega

Mavita olush ierg so tsa bie iats

Vita viezar

Mavita olusherg so tsa bie iats

Is vitchi tsa vitu kirarchu sadagua

Dagua vitchi tsavitu nuriechu bargasha

Daagua bargasha

Qobul vinarig ho tsa bie vats

Gaghma Gavrek'e Bat'ebi, Shairi

(scroll down for English translation)

Gaghma gavrek’e bat’ebi

Gamoghma daviarebi

Ghmerto gasts’qvit’e kalebi

Utsolo daviarebi

Darira Darirarira Darira,

Darirarira Darira

Darirarira Darira

Magizhebs sheni tvalebi

Da mak’argvinebs ch’k’uasa

Me khom vitsi rom giqvarvar

Rad meubnebi uarsa

Darira Darirarira Darira…

Net’avi kalav sheni khma

Mdzinares gamagonao

Shentan damigo logini

Shen mk’lavze gamagorao

Darira Darirarira Darira…

Net’avi radme maktsia

Bulbulad gadamaktsia

Bulbulis ena masts’avla

Shens ezos shemomachvia

Darira Darirarira Darira…

Siqvaruli dzneliao

Dzneli mosatmeniao

Vints siqvaruli ar itsis

Mistan araperiao

Darira Darirarira Darira…

Shav bich’o shavi nabadi

Ghilk’ino uk’an gzidavso

Arts ara bich’i shena khar

Arts ara guli mzidavso

Translation:

Joke Song

I called out to the geese across the river

I walked to the other side

God, rid the world of women

For I am alone, without a wife…

Your eyes drive me mad

I will lose my mind

I know you love me

So why do you refuse me?

If only I could hear your voice

In my sleep

Lay out a bed at your place

For I wish to lie with you

If only I could be something else

A nightingale, for instance!

I would learn the nightingale’s language

And show up in your garden

Love is difficult

It is hard to be tolerant

For those who don't know love

There is nothing

You in the black shepherd's cloak

With buttons down its back

You are not a boy either

Nor the bearer of a heart

Instrumental.

Gaizapkhulebs K’ordebi

(scroll down for English translation)

Gaizapkhulebs k’ordebi       

K'abebs iebi mortaven        

Nu it'qvi ar mqvarebia       

Ak’i gviqvarda ortaves

Erturts bilik’ze shevkhvdit da           

Dghesats davedzebt ertmanets         

Net’avi bedi rad gvtsdida                    

An am molodins ra dalevs              

Ts’akhvel da gadaepare        

Vit nisli goris pkhazeda

Ra madls izamdi nanat’ro

Shemeqrebode gzazeda

Gadaiares karebma

Ch’oraobit da khvivilit

Ts’akhvedi da damit’ove

Mourcheneli t’k’ivili

[Dghesats its’vima gushinats

Guli dardebma danisla

Edemis baghshi shevedi

Savse gamovel dardita]

Translation:

Summer Arrives In The Fields

Summer arrives in the fields

Violets decorate your dresses

Don’t say you didn't love me

For we did love each other

We met each other on the path

We are still looking for one another

Why has fate tested us so?

What can stop all of this waiting?

You left and like the mist

Covered the mountaintop

You could have been so kind

As to meet me on the road

The winds pass by

Gossiping and sobbing

You went and you left me

With an incurable pain

an additional verse:

[It rained today, and yesterday as well

My heart is full of foggy sorrow

I entered the garden of Eden

And am leaving it, full of sorrow]

Gakhsovs Ramdeni Otsneba Gvkonda

(scroll down for English translation)

Gakhsovs ramdeni otsneba gvkonda

Rogor gkhiblavda mshobeli mkhare

Iremis tsikhe evos k’oshk’ebi

Tsisk’ris ghimili qoveli tsismare

Otsnebad gvkonda ertad gvenakha

Lamazi mta da lamazi bari

Ts’aro etelda egho indurta

Da saotsnebo khevi bats’ari

Rogorts niaghvris shemdeg iebi

Dzvirpaso davrchit skhva da skhva tkhemze

Tumtsa vest’umret magram ushenod

Karits k’i skhva khmit mgheroda khevze

Zevit vutskerdit saqornis mts’vervals

Titkos tskhovrebas shenit vavsebdi

Naghvelma akats aikhsna bage

Dzvirpaso akats shen gamakhsendi

Translation:

Remember How Many Dreams We Had?

Remember how many dreams we had?

How the land of your ancestors charmed you?

The Deer Fortress and Evo’s Towers

And dawn smiling at you every morning...

We dreamt together

Of this beautiful mountain highland

Of the village called Indurta¹

And the mystical Batsari Gorge²

Like violets after a torrential rain

We were separated from one another 

I visited the mountains, but without you

Even the wind sang differently in the gorge

While I looked up at Saqorni’s peak

Life seemed to be filled with you

There was great sadness, my darling

I will remember you here

¹A Tsova-Tush village in Tusheti

²A gorge in Kakheti that borders Tusheti, the Batsara River is a tributar of the Alazani.

Gaprindi

Text: Shalva Arabuli

(scroll down for English translation)

Mivdivart gaghmidan gvighimis endzelai

Mivdivart daghest’nis utsnobi bilik’it

/Shen k’rtebi me k’i sul skhva dzala medzleva

Da albat sul male gadavalt p’irikit/

Mivdivart gvkhvdebian dek’a da kviani

Ar minda gzis bolom ertmanets gagvqaros

/Dghes rotsa shentan var mtebi mqav tavdebad

Merts’mune samotkhed mekhat’vis samqaro/

Da mere rodesats chavalt gzis bolomde

Shens euls gakhedav mag tvalta tsialit

/Me leksad gajakheb didi khnis molodins

da ts’aval khevsurets tskhvagvari t’rpialit/

Gaprindi am gulshi chamots’va avdari

Gaprindi am gulshi daghamda dabindda

/Gaprindi vitsi rom gzebi gakvs savali

Gaprindi da sheni gaprenats ar minda/

Translation:

Fly Away

We're going to the other shore

Where the snowdrops are smiling
We're going on an unknown Dagestani trail
You are startled but I've been given a greater strength
Soon, perhaps, we will pass over the border

We're traveling a rocky, rhododendron-covered path
I don't want the end of this road to separate us
But today you are with me and the mountains bear witness
The whole world seems a paradise to me

Later, when we reach the end of the road
Your sparkling eyes will look on your lone love
I'll recite all the beautiful poetry you have been waiting for
And with the strength of my love, I’ll go to Khevsureti

As you fly away, bad weather comes to this heart
As you fly away, night and darkness falls
Fly away, I know you have a long road ahead
Fly away, though how I wish you wouldn't fly away.

Garda Sheni Tvalebisa,

Araperi Makhsovs

(scroll down for English translation)

Mere ra rom mimat’ove

Mere ra rom ts’akhvedi

Damit’ove suratebi

Bumberazi naghveli

Sulshi kris da dzlier tsiva

Albat male datovls

Garda sheni tvalebisa

Araperi makhsovs

Chamotavda qrmobis ts’igni

Ise rogorts ts’qali

Norchi gazapkhuli

Sich’abuk’it mtvrali

An is mt’redi ragha ikna

Balghoba rom erkva

Apsus, ise gamiprinda

Verts movk’ari tvali

Translation:

Other than Your Eyes,

I Don’t Remember Anything

What then, you have left me?

What then, you have gone?

You left me some photos

And enormous sadness

There is a cold wind in my soul

Soon snow will come

Other than your eyes

I don’t remember anything

The book of my adolescence is finished

Like water

A youthful spring

Drunk on youth

Where is that dove

Called childhood?

It has flown so fast

I didn’t even see it

Gazapkhula

(scroll down for English translation)

Gazapkhula iah bubk’ana buta

So t’qo hadaso daqdalin potol

Honen mokh’boa tseha mertskhliva

Sonen dugdugdo kotialinch alznev

Chakh’in chakh’dave dak’mia chakh’da

Mohak’a lakhol ve dak’miv vats’ba

Vashba deets’incho ak’uich nap’erts’k’lev

Eq metkhemaka ho gulbalaso

Ho ma tsokhea se dak’ilats’ar

Tso kheho sena sinadughara

So tso alhmak’ hog sona iets’eho

Sokh bed bots’bali isht’u khetrvrena

Translation:

Spring

Spring is the month of flowers

I am winter, a dried leaf

Swallows sing for you in the sky

For me, the troubled Alazani¹ roars

We are far from each other, our hearts too 

How do we bring them together?

When we love each other, sparks alight

You are my soulmate in this world

You don’t know my heart’s pain

You don’t know my soul’s call

I can’t tell you that I love you

Fate has made me so complacent

¹The Andi Koysu River, referred to here as Tusheti's Alazani, needs to be differentiated from the Alazani River that flows through Kakheti, Georgia. The Tushetian river flows north of the Caucasus watershed into Dagestan, eventually running into the Sulak River which ends in the Caspian Sea.

Gazapkhula

(scroll down for English translation)

Gazapkhula iah bubk’ana buta

So t’qo hadaso daqdalin potol

Honen mokh’boa tseha mertskhliva

Sonen dugdugdo kotialinch alznev

Chakh’in chakh’dave dak’mia chakh’da

Mohak’a lakhol ve dak’miv vats’ba

Vashba deets’incho ak’uich nap’erts’k’lev

Eq metkhemaka ho gulbalaso

Ho ma tsokhea se dak’ilats’ar

Tso kheho sena sinadughara

So tso alhmak’ hog sona iets’eho

Sokh bed bots’bali isht’u khetrvrena

Translation:

Spring

Spring is the month of flowers

I am winter, a dried leaf

Swallows sing for you in the sky

For me, the troubled Alazani¹ roars

We are far from each other, our hearts too 

How do we bring them together?

When we love each other, sparks alight

You are my soulmate in this world

You don’t know my heart’s pain

You don’t know my soul’s call

I can’t tell you that I love you

Fate has made me so complacent

¹The Andi Koysu River, referred to here as Tusheti's Alazani, needs to be differentiated from the Alazani River that flows through Kakheti, Georgia. The Tushetian river flows north of the Caucasus watershed into Dagestan, eventually running into the Sulak River which ends in the Caspian Sea.

Gazapkhulis Simghera  (Osovraida)

Osov raida va raida

Osov raida va raida

Orov rado, osov rado

Orov rado, osov rado

Osov raida, va raida

Osov raida, va raida

Translation:

The title of this song is "Spring's Song" and the words are all non-lexical vocables, or "nonsense syllables".

Ghazishkhilat

Text: Ioseb Longishvili

(scroll down for English translation)

Ghazishkhilata sharn vuit'as

Nanetsi vets'es vakhana

/Osire vukha tsovaghges

Osi khil sogo vakhara/

Le lom tsologes le k'okhakh

Tsodets'ges akha divana

/Metkhenmak dah kotvalinchgo

Osi khil sogo tivara/

Okhuigo madlob alhosa

Hane lemzrata vatkhvosa

/So dak'voovanen shetsina

Se datkhin makhish meqdosa/

Ts'qets'qa ghazicha tuikhmakhmak

So habvosh malhar malhata

/Luingghari ivseb dak'voova

Se makhish halo debata/

Translation:

Goodbye

Goodbye and be well, I'm going

I must go to my mother’s

From there, I will no longer return

I will make a life there

I won’t go to the mountains

Nor the plains

I won’t plant anything either

Troubled, there near the sun

I'll be closer to rest

I will be grateful for

Whoever cries for me beautifully

In order to remember me

For thee, I leave my poems

Sometimes, at a beautiful feast

Drink to my memory

In the memory of Ioseb Longishvili

Sing a song in my name

Ghazishkhilat

Text: Ioseb Longishvili

(scroll down for English translation)

Ghazishkhilata sharn vuit'as

Nanetsi vets'es vakhana

/Osire vukha tsovaghges

Osi khil sogo vakhara/

Le lom tsologes le k'okhakh

Tsodets'ges akha divana

/Metkhenmak dah kotvalinchgo

Osi khil sogo tivara/

Okhuigo madlob alhosa

Hane lemzrata vatkhvosa

/So dak'voovanen shetsina

Se datkhin makhish meqdosa/

Ts'qets'qa ghazicha tuikhmakhmak

So habvosh malhar malhata

/Luingghari ivseb dak'voova

Se makhish halo debata/

Translation:

Goodbye

Goodbye and be well, I'm going

I must go to my mother’s

From there, I will no longer return

I will make a life there

I won’t go to the mountains

Nor the plains

I won’t plant anything either

Troubled, there near the sun

I'll be closer to rest

I will be grateful for

Whoever cries for me beautifully

In order to remember me

For thee, I leave my poems

Sometimes, at a beautiful feast

Drink to my memory

In the memory of Ioseb Longishvili

Sing a song in my name

Ghmerto, Nu Mohk’lav P’at’aras

Text: Vazha-Pshavela

(scroll down for English translation)

Ghmerto, nu mohk’lav p’at’aras

Nu aut’ireb mshobelsa

/Nu miabareb shavs mits’as

Am soplis gautsnobelsa/

Nu vnakhav bavshvis k’ubosa

Nu gamkhdi shensa mgmobelsa

/Atsade gadzghes sitsotskhlit

Avis da k’argis nakhvita/

Shaedzlos mamulis datsva

Gamagrebulis mk’lavita

/Tu arts atslidi, sopeli

Radgha achvene tvalita/

Translation:

God, Don’t Kill the Little Ones

God, don’t kill the little ones

Don’t make their parents cry

Don’t leave them to the black earth

For they don’t yet know their village

Don't make me look at a child's coffin

Don’t have me blame you for that

Let him indulge in life

Let him find out what is good and bad

He could save his country

With his strong hands

If you don't allow him to live

Why are you giving him birth?

There is no English translation available for this song. If you are able to provide one, please include it in an email to TsutisopeliProject@gmail.com and we will update the page.

Ghrublebi

Ghrublebi daparpashoben

Rogorts sharbatit mtvralebi

Mal-mal nu mkhedav geqopa

Dabla dakhare tvalebi

Shen shemokhedvas nat’rulni

Shurit shemkhedven kalebi

Pikrma daghala vazhk’atsi

Daghala dabla dakhara

Shena khar chemo dzvirpaso

Pikrma sali k’lde daghara

Daghara daanaoch’a

Zed qoil aghar akhara

Gare tushura ts’vima ts’vims

Chvenats gavighebt gzasao

/Rad mechveneba aka khar

Leksebsats mats’vdi kalsao/

Net’avi damits’unebde

Damanebebde tavsao

Vivlidi lashar-ghelesa

Vazhebs vavlebdi tvalsao

Mashin khom sheveqrebodi

Chemi gunebis kmarsao

Ghvtis K’arze Satkmeli Iavnana

Nana nanao

Mze sivrisa okros buchkebs ch’amen

Sakartvelos tavzemdebare deda

Mzisa da mtvarisa

Iavnana nanina

Nanebit mogmartavo

Uplis dedopalo dedao mariamo

Ieso krist’ev dzev ghvtisao ghvtisp’iro kebisao

Jvarta da amaghlebisao

Iavnanao haida da mravalzhamier

Nanebit mogmartavo

Tamar mots’ameo, mtavar angeloz

Samebav ert arsebao

Bevrt khat’is damrkmelisao

Magdan deda moiavnane

Modaire khelkmnisao

Iavna da ho ho ho

Haida da mravalzhamier

Nanebit mogmartavo

Ts’qaros tavs ts’minda giorgi

Alaverdo gulisao

Sakartvelo dedabodzo ketevano

Uk’vdavo sulisao

Dideba keba tkvents uk’vdavebaso

Iavna da ho ho ho

Haida da mravalzhamiero

Nanebit mogmartavo

Ats’quris tavs mjdomari giorgi mosamartleo

Shuamtis ghvtismshobelo nino ts’mindav kartvelta

Ganmanatlebelo

K'abadok'ielo

Nino ts'mindav kartvelta ganmanatlebelo

K'abadok'ielo

Dido saupliano dido sadzirk'vliano

Da samartliano

Iavna da ho ho ho

Haida da mravalzhamiero

Nanebit mogmartavo

Gavazo giorgi dido salotsavo nek'resa ghvtismshobelo

Kartvelo k'atso mkhvnel-mtesavo okroi gutniano

Iav da ho ho ho, haida da nana mravalzhamiero

Nanebit mogmartav dido k'op'ale

Deditgan uk'vdavi ivane natlis mtsemlisa

Svet'itskhovelo tsodva da madliano khisao

Mamata sadzmo sauplo k'etilad damitulisao

Iav da ho ho ho

Haida da nanina mravalzhamiero

Nanebit mogmartavo

Uk'anch'lis ts'minda giorgi mogzauro khakhmat'o

khmalo khmalunisao ivris tavs mbrdzanebelo dido

Saupliano

Dido sadzirk'vliano da dido simartliano

Iav da ho ho ho

Haida da mravalzhamiero

Nanebit mogmartavo

Ts'amlis dedav dido dzirk'viano dido mkhriano

Dido dodebiano lagh lasharis jvrisao

Dedav tamaris dzel ch'eshmarit'o usakhlk'aro binao

Keba p'iri ghvtisao

Didi da didi bat'onisa lasharis damrigeblisao

Iav da ho ho ho, haida da mravalzhamiero

Raa ivris tsarela midamo

Kveqna iqo darchomitao

P'at'ara shvilebi gvachuke didi iverta siskhlisa

Tsot'a madlit tsodviani kveqana dagvikhsenito

Ts'aghma ro chahgvibrune vazhk'atsebi marjvenitao

Iav da ho ho ho, haida da mravalzhamiero

Gaumarjos dghe ghame mze mtvare varsk'vlav mnatobta

Aghmosavlet dasavlet chrdiloet samkhretsa

Shav zghvidan shav zghvamde

Tetri matrakhit mat'arebeli giorgisao da

Iav da ho ho ho, haida da mraval da zhamiero

Gaumarjos samassamotsdasam ts'minda giorgebsa

Qvelaze did msjavrdebelsa

Dideba dzalasa mshvidoba sakartvelosa chvensao

iav da ho ho ho,

Haida da nanina mravalzhamiero

The following translation is from the digitalized liner notes of Mzetamze Ensemble's album Vol 1. Traditional Georgian Women's Songs.

Translation: 

Iavnana to be Sung at the Gate of God

Iavnana, vardos nana, iavnanina 

Let roses and violets cover all the land of our country, Georgia, iavnanina 

Hail to the Cross of Lashari*, hail to all sacred places in all four directions, iavnanina 

Praise to the Heavenly Father, induce the sky and clouds to be peaceful, bestow us with men.

If there are no men, what about us women?, iavnanina 

Hail to the heart K'akheti-Alaverdi, iavnanina

Glory, glory to victorious great lord, Saint George of Lashari, power of God, iavnanina 

Hail to the heart K’akheti-Alaverdi, to the lance of our judge Giorgi, iavnanina

Glory, glory to the martyr St George, who suffered with his flesh, we ourselves implore you, holy martyr Giorgi, help those, who pray,

who hail and praise you, iavnanina 

Hail and praise to St George of Gavazi, the son of Leks, iavnanina,

Glory and victory to our victorious father Nek’ressi, the magnificent who calms down the sky and clouds and does not deprive us

from the Holy Sacrement, part of God, the field is ploughed by the strength of the oxen’s neck, iavnanina 

Hail and praise to our father Nek’ressi, the mother of god, the mother who has given birth to God, Iavnanina                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

*The cross of Lashari, Alaverdi, Nekressi, and Gavazi are holy relics and churches in Pshavi and Kakheti respectively.

Giqureb Da Veghara Gtsnob

(scroll down for English translation)

Giqureb da veghara gtsnob

Nutu shena khar

Gushin shavgvremani iqav

Dghes k’i kera khar

/ Ui ui eg tvalebi

Vaime eg ts’amts’amebi

Chemi mgonia /

Atasnair pekhsatsmelit

Pekhebs ats’valeb

Gikhdeba tu ar gikhdeba

Maints at’areb

/ Ui ui eg tvalebi

Vaime eg ts’amts’amebi

Chemi mgonia /

Giqureb da veghara gtsnob

Nutu shena khar

Gushin shavgvremani iqav

Dghes k’i kera khar

/ Ui ui eg tvalebi

Vaime eg ts’amts’amebi

Chemi mgonia /

Translation:

I look at you but I don't recognize you

Is it you, or not?

Yesterday you had black hair

And today you are a blonde

              Oh Oh! Those eyes!

Oh My! Those eyelashes!
That’s what I think.

A thousand different pairs of shoes

You wear on your feet

Whether they suit you or not

You still put them on

              Oh Oh! Those eyes!

Oh My! Those eyelashes!
That’s what I think.

I look at you but I don't recognize you

Is it you, or not?

Yesterday you had black hair

And today you are a blonde

               Oh Oh! Those eyes!

Oh My! Those eyelashes!
That’s what I think.

Samshobloze

(scroll down for English translation)

Samshoblo dedis dzudzui

Ar gaitsvlebis skhvazeda

Orniv t’k’bilia dzmobilo da

Mirchvenis orsav tvalzeda

/Khars vgevar naialaghars

Rkit mits’asa vchkhver vbubuneb

Ghmerto samshoblo mitsotskhle da

Mdzinarits amas vduduneb/

Lomisis madlma shegishros da

Odesghats tsremli gdenia

Uts’in shen mogak’vlevinos da

Da chvenzed mosuli mt’eria

/Khars vgevar naialaghars

Rkit mits’asa vchkhver vbubuneb

Ghmerto samshoblo mitsotskhle da

Mdzinarits amas vduduneb/

Translation:

The Homeland

The homeland is like a mother’s breast

There is no substitute

Both are sweet, my brother

Equal in our eyes
 

I am like the buffalo when I work

I dig into the earth with my horns

God, long live the homeland

Is what I murmur in my dreams
 

Lomisi’s¹ mercy

Dried the tears in your eyes

It diminished the number of enemies

That were approaching us
 

I am like the buffalo when I work

I dig into the earth with my horns

God, long live the homeland

Is what I murmur in my dreams

¹Perched at 2,300 meters, the ancestral place of prayer for the Mtiul people

There is no English translation available for this song. If you are able to provide one, please include it in an email to TsutisopeliProject@gmail.com and we will update the page.

Glakhaze

Glakham tkva bedi k’rulia dabadebisa chemisa

Ramdeni dila gatenda upro da upro ts’qenisa

Sk’olidan gamomiqvanes shin movel chemi pekhita

Ded-mama korts’ils mimzadebs atasnairi ts’esita

T’anisamosi miqides kamar khanjali vertskhlisa

Emzadebian maqrebi tskhenebsa hk’azmven k’ekhita

Qvelanairi tskhenia, lurji, ts’iteli, tetritsa

Sanatliao idakhis lurjas vasukeb kerita

Ek’lesis k’arze mivedit p’at’ardzlita da nepita

Ek’lesis k’arebze misvla da, vaime, datsema mekhisa

Gavarda natliis topi nepe tan gait’anao

Kalma sheich’ra nats’navni zed gulze daaqarao

Belgit naqidi Baghdadi zed p’irze daaparao

Sheni ch’irime lamazo unda chamogqve tanao

Ushenod rogor davlakho maghla mta dabla ch’alao

Mets tavi unda movik’la mometsit erti danao

Mamastan k’atsi gagzavnes mtebi gadavlos chkarao

Gigolis k’arebze gavla sul qvelam daizarao

Isiv natlia bakhama auar chauarao

Samjer sheugho k’arebi, samjerve gamojarao

K’arshi gamodi gigolav ejipma dagibarao

Gigolo pekhze ts’amodga pekhshi ar akvs dzalao

Tma-ts’verze kheli gaivlo sul dabla chamoqarao

Khelshi nach’eri makhvili shig gulshi gait’arao

Tu chemi shvili mohk’alit rdzali vin ts’aiqvanao

Shin shvili sak’otsit moakvs rdzalit mohqveba tanao

Nu st’irit chemo jalabno sanam me mesmis qurita

Net’av sami dghe sitsotskhle saqidi iqos pulita

Korts’ili gadamekhada ghvinots mesva da p’uritsa

Gametsno natesavebi shoridan ts’amosulitsa

Samasi Aragveli

Uch’k’nobelia sitsotskhle

Samasi aragvelisa

Samasi gmirma mtielma

Arts’ivis prtebi sheiskha

Da gadmoprindnen tbilisshi

Erek’les rotsa uch’irda

Da gadmoprindnen tbilisshi

P’at’ara k’akhs rom uch’irda

Qvelas goneba uch’rida

Da qvelas khmalits uch’rida

Ati meomris ts’inashe

Erti kartveli dgeboda

Ismoda tskhenis pekhis khma

Tskhenits k’i qalqze dgeboda

Tsam daiqara ghrublebi

Lurji ghrublebi tsisani

/Mat ar dautmes mamuli

Javrits ar ch’ames mt’risani/

Mat ar dautmes mamuli

Javrits ar ch’ames mt’risani

Da darchnen marad

Ertgulad shvilebi aragvisani

Translation:

The story of  the Three Hundred Aragvelians¹

Will never fade

Three hundred Mtiul² heros

Like wings of an eagle

Flew down to Tbilisi

When King Erekle³ was in need

They flew down to Tbilisi

When young men were needed

All of them were cut down

All with blades were cut down

In front of one Georgian 

Stood ten enemies

He heard the sound of hooves

For the horse too was prancing

The sky was scattered with clouds

Blue clouds filled the sky

They were loyal to the fatherland

For sorrow alone doesn't eat the enemy

Those children from Aragvi⁴

Will remain eternally honored

¹The three hundred men from the highlands along the Aragvi River, that gathered together in 1795 and fought the Battle of Krtsanisi against the invading Qajar Army.  They pledged to fight until their death, and only a few returned home. Many famous Georgian authors have paid tribute to the men in their writing. In 2008 they were canonized as martyrs in the Georgian Orthodox Church.

²People from the highland of Mtiuleti in northeast Georgia, along the Aragvi River. Read more about Mtiuleti here.

³King Erekle II, also referred to as Heraclius II of Georgia, reigned as King of Kakheti from 1744-1762. 

⁴The major river of the eastern Georgian highlands of Khevsureti, Pshavi and Mtiuleti. The 112 kilometer long Aragvi was dammed in Zhinvali in 1986, forming the Zhinvali Reservoir which provides power to much of Georgia. The river eventually flows into the Mtkvari at Mtskheta.