Mariamis Dat’ireba

(scroll down for English translation)

Daits tsetskhlo nu medebi

Ver dagits’vivar da ver damts’ov

Daits gulo da nurts shen mebrdzvi

Ver mogik’livar da verts mamk’lav

Sik’vdilo nurts shen mogts’on tavi

Sirtskhvilze met’I da arts shena khar

Tkveni ch’irime chargallebo

Chemo dzmebo da bidzebo

Gana ro shemipera ghmertma

Ar map’at’ie da mats’qeinao

Gadamdegoba tempt p’irisa

Gadamdegoba da tempt pitsisa

Magram ras ushlida eg umetsari

Ak ar viqava damnashave

Rad ar damtkharna orniv tvalni

Rad ar damakhmo da orniv khelni

Deda mogik’vdes masonao

Agaghebine shvilo enaqbasa

Ts’agaghebine shvilo karsa ts’qalsa

Shvilo sitsotskhle aghar minda

Svhilo sitsotskhle aghar minda

Translation:

Mariam's Mourning Song

Wait, fire, don’t touch me

You cannot burn me, and you won’t burn me

Wait, heart, don’t struggle with me

You cannot kill me and you won’t kill me

Death, don’t fancy yourself too much

You are not more than your shames

My dear people of Chargali¹

My brothers and uncles

God did not like my unsuitable behavior

He is offended and did not forgive

Deviancy from the community rules

Deviancy from the community oath

But what is this ignorant child guilty of?

I am not guilty for loving the child.

Why weren’t my eyes gouged out?

Why weren’t my hands withered?

Let your mother die for you, Mason²

Everyone is speaking of you

Because of what I did

The wind and the water

Have carried you away

My child, I don’t want to live anymore

My child, I don’t want to live anymore.

¹A village in the northeast highland of Pshavi, known for being the birthplace of the famous poet and author, Vazha-Pshavela.

²The singer's son's name