RAFFI'S POETRY



THE ZEITUNTSI ARMENIAN MOTHER'S CRADLE SONG

By Raffi
Translated from Armenian by Daniel Janoyan
Glendale, California, December 15, 1999

Do your NANIG*, my beautiful child,
You do your NANIG, NANIG, NANIG.
Do your NANIG and you grow quick
I'll sacrifice myself for you, my only kid.
 
With a mother's hands I will be rocking
Your cradle very calmly and quietly.
And your late father's memories
I will relate to you by singing softly.
 
Your father resembled a powerful lion
That brave, courageous YERVANT,
For his people he had enthusiasm,
A lot of love, and sympathy.
 
One day he mounted his black horse
And galloped towards the enemy,
Taking with him his proud subjects
He went to fight the enemy.
 
The enemy was called RAVO
That gigantic barbarian
Hit your father in his heart
Using his soul piercing arrow.
 
He hit your father and killed him
Taking his cattle along with him.
He ransacked his tents
Leaving us with nothing at the end.
 
Do you NANIG, my only hope,
Do your NANIG, so you may grow quik.
And to your abandoned people
You'll be in lieu of your father the leader indeed.
 
Our mountains that are with flowers full,
Our fields that are with grass full,
Are being grazed by foreign cattles
And those that belong to the enemy.
 
The cold waters of our crystal clear springs
Are being poluted by dirt lips
And the breasts of the enemy
Are being decorated by our flowers.
 
Our free and proud nation
Has been left with shameful memory.
It has been lead to be enslaved
By the conqueror's conquest.
 
While we as aliens and without a leader
We are roaming from mountain to mountain
Longing for aid that is foreign
Making us equal to the pure earth.
 
As slaves, disrespectful and with no honor,
As a dirty nation having no shame,
The enemy spits at us
And slaps us into our face.
 
I will tell you, "Do your NANIG, O my angel.
I will tell you, "Do your NANIG," by singing.
I will tell you, "Do your NANIG," by singing.
By singing lamentations and by weeping!
 
When by God's will you grow old,
Take your father's bow and arrow
Mount into his horse
And once again be the leader of your nation.
 
Into his metal shield
You too pierce your dagger.
You too drink happily
Those two fierce blood drops.
 
Drink, and let your mother's
Burned and fiery heart cool down!
Drink, and let your father's
Longing bones be happily calmed down!
 
I wil tell you to do your NANIG and to sleep,
O you innocent just angel of mine.
Go to sleep, because you're the only one
Who is an inspiration to your mother indeed!

* NANIG means lullaby

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