Santelebi
Text & Music: Maqvala Tsiklauri
(scroll down for English translation)
Sionshi sheval da me santels avanteb
Da shenzed viloceb chumad
/Shens tavs shevavedreb, ghmerts chumi vedrebit
Sakhels ar vakhseneb sulats/
T’adarshi shevedi didebis t’adarshi
Raa sak’virveli an rad gaiotse
/Santeli avante, p’at’ara santeli
P’at’ara santelit, me shenze vilotse/
Da roca idumal khmit gavesaubre
Da roca gavande mas chemi naghveli
/Hoi saotsrebav es ra davinakhe
Tsremlad ighvreboda p’at’ara santeli/
Jvars sions vardzias sul pekhit movilvli
Da santels avanteb ts’mindas
/Oghont shen giqvarde, oghont shen gakhsovde
Met’i araperi minda/
T’adarshi shevedi didebis t’adarshi
Raa sak’virveli an rad gaiotse
/Santeli avante, p’at’ara santeli
P’at’ara santelit, me shenze vilotse/
Da roca idumal khmit gavesaubre
Da roca davande mas chemi satkmeli
Hoi saotsrebav es ra davinakhe
Tsremlad ighumeboda p’at’ara santeli
Goneba davk’arge chumad avkvitindi
Tsremlad vighvrebodit meca da santelits
Translation:
Candles
I will enter Sioni¹ and light a candle for you
I will pray in silence, your name to God
With silent words
I will not even say your name aloud
I entered the church
Striking and glorious
I lit a small candle, a small candle
And I prayed for you with this small candle
And when I spoke to the candle
When I told it my sorrow
My God – What did I see?
I saw the small candle crying
I will visit Jvari², Sioni, and Vardzia³
All on foot, and I will light a holy candle
Merely love me, merely remember me!
I do not want anything else.
I lost consciousness and quietly cried
We cried together, the candle and I
¹ Sioni Cathedral of the Dormition. Originally constructed in the 6th-7th century, Sioni is a Georgian Orthodox cathedral in Tbilisi, Georgia. Read more about the cathedral here.
² Jvari, or the Monastary of the Cross, is a 6th century Georgian Orthodox monastery located just outside Mtskheta. Read more about Jvari here.
³ Vardzia is an impressive cave monastery site, built in the 12th century. Inside is the Church of the Dormition, which dates back to the 1180's, Queen Tamar's rule during the Golden Age of Georgia. Read more about Vardzia here.