Oblobaze
Text: Ivane Tsiklauri
(scroll down for English translation)
Lekss it’qvis tushi omari
Tsimbirshi chamovjdebi
Tem-soplis madzulebuli
Vints sik’vdils daghvits’qebia
Otsi ts’lis gasadzlebuli
Shors qinulebshi vzrebia
Vazhk’atss otsdakhut ts’lisasa
Sul gamitetrda tmebia
K’ldeshi jikhvebis mimqoli
Ekhla pekhze dzliv vdgebia
Dznelia akit ts’asvlai
Vazhk’atss gind ebas mkhrebia
Pkhizloben rogorts mglebia
Am tskhveba k’veri oblisa
Makhsovs met’qoda bebia
T’olebs k’i maints ajobebs
Obols tan hqveba bedia
Ded-mama mashin momk’vdara
Omar rom daghbadebia
Memr mshoblis t’kbili alersi
Arodis ar mghisebia
Arts makhovs sakhe imati
Ar vitsi ra rigebia
Sitsotskhle momets’amlebis
Khan k’inagh gavgizhdebia
Chem khelit tavis mok’vlai
Ramdenjer mipikrebia
Mudam skhvat kheltad ts’akhedva
Ra ch’irad gavizrdebia
Ch’reli rat aris sopeli
Vpikrob ver gamigebia
Am kveqnad maints bevria
Mdidari gharibebia
Ramdenits ts’amovizarde
Tantan daberda mt’rebia
Rasats kveqana shvreboda
Qvela me dambralebia
K’iavots daisveneben
Ekhla khom davshordebia
Dideba shentvis upalo
Siaves ara vshrebia
Ar vitsi ras memdurian
Guldidad vazhk’atsebia
Zogtavit tvalqurobai
Me aros mik’adrebia
Kal-vazhi avis znisai
Akhlos ar mik’arvebia
Dachagrulebis dachagvra
Ertkhel ar mompikrebia
Mudam mts’qenia augi
Tu ra vis dauqmedia
Me arvis gamovktsevivor
K’i gaktseulan skhvebia
Chem gamo bidzashvilebsa
Sirtskhvil aravis zdebia
Chemad magivrad chem mt’erta
Khel arvis gaurevia
Taod mimitsav k’iseri
Tu ravin mt’rebi mrgebia
Bevr mts’are gamik’vnet’avis
Gul k’i ar gamit’ekhia
Sik’etes bevra minakhav
Mk’vekhrebzed k’idev met’ia
T’ialo ts’utisopelo, Gkhedav rom shaitsvlebia
Translation:
Orphanhood
Omar from Tusheti recites:
I will stay in Siberia
And bear the misfortune of families
Who have died and been forgotten
I have been exiled for twenty years
I am frozen far into the ice
Once a brave man,
Just twenty-five years of age
I have already grown grey
I was a mountain hunter but
Today it is hard for me to stand on my feet
It is very hard to be here –
You need much strength
Those Siberian bears are vigil, like wolves
Like my grandmother once said:
Orphans’ bread doesn’t bake.
My parents died when I was born
I never felt the sweet care of my parents
I don’t even remember their faces
My life has been poisoned and sometimes I go crazy
How many times have I thought of killing myself?
Whenever I look at others I wonder why I was born…
Why is the world in different colors?
I ponder and I don’t understand
How there are so many in our world, both rich and poor.
As I grow old, so do my enemies
I am blamed for the wrongs others have committed
Dear God -
I have never committed wrongs
I don’t know why they are against me, these proud people
I have never spied, like others have
I have never been close to a woman
I have never thought to oppress the oppressed
I have never tried to escape, like others have from me
How upset I was when they dared to reproach me
Thanks to me, my brother’s children have never been shamed
No one has fought my enemies for me
I have protected my own neck whenever I had to
I have not broken hearts, nor have I upset people
I have lived with kindness more than I have with boasting
Oh, You – You Brief Life!
I see you
In all the ways you have changed.