Ten Bayatis
Its golden earth blows fresh breeze.
Tebriz is no more in peace,
Dare not to disturb Tebriz.
Təbriz üstü daşlıdı,Torpağı zər qaşlıdı.Dindirməyin Təbrizi,Gözləri qan yaşlıdı.
Gence is further than here,
Its lawns padded with flowers.
Love’s death is an act of god,
Parting from love is torture.
Burdan uzaq Gəncədir,Güllər pəncə-pəncədir.Ölüm tanrı işidir,Ayrılıq içkəncədir.
Now, Araz ‘was’ partitioned,
But allowed to be silted.
No way, I would part from you,
This bitter parting was forced.
Arazı ayırdılar,Qum ilə doyurdular.Mən səndən ayrılmazdım,Zülm ilə ayırdılar.
Yowl and howl echo outcries,
Twinkles of stars sound outcries.
A sole bud cheers the meadow,
Out of thirst, that too cries out.
Haraylar hay haraylar,Hər ulduzlar haraylar.Çiməndə bir gül bitib,Susuzundan haraylar.
The moon rose but sank in pools,
Your face looks like just a moon.
My youth days sank one by one,
Without you, my sky has no moon!
Ay doğdu düşdü çaya,Camalın bənzər aya.Cavan ömrüm cürüdü,Günləri saya-saya.
The moon rose, when the sun set,
At their gap, lovers were blessed.
My keepsake for my sweetheart,
Was shared there, at our closest.
Ay doğdu batan yerdə,Can-cana qatan yerdə.Dosta yadigar verdim,Yaxından ötən yerdə.
My love lives by, life goes on,
Sad or cheerful, time goes on.
Upon hearing of lone nights,
Tears appear in my love’s eyes.
Yar gələr yaşa dolar,Ya ağlar, ya şad olar.Hicran sözün eşitcək,Gözləri yaşa dolar.
Hope you favour me and me,
Fill the cup, also for me.
Life is spent, our days are gone,
Youth days lost for you and me.
Əzizinəm bir də mən,Doldur içim bir də mən.Ömür keçdi, gün keçdi,Cavan olmam bir də mən.
O my love, it is high times,
This moonrise is on high times.
I can swear to what you wish,
Your heart lifts my heart’s high times.
Əzizim qəlbiləndi,ay doğdu qəlbiləndi.Nəyə desən and içim,Bu qəlb o qəlbləndir.
O my love, let a rose bud,
Nightingales cheer by rose-buds.
I miss you with all my heart,
Gloom, no more, but buds and buds.
Əziziyəm, oyan gül,Oyan, bülbül! Oyan, gül!Könül fəqan eyləyir,Nə yatmısan oyan gül?
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Translator's notes:
Tebriz: The capital of historic Azerbaijan and now the capital of South Azerbaijan (outside the Republic of Azerbaijan).
Gence: Second largest city in the Republic of Azerbaijan (North Azerbaijan).
Araz: A river that rises in Turkey and flows to the Caspian Sea, cutting through the heart of Azerbaijan (South and North).
Bayati #4: A lament for the fate of South Azerbaijan in modern times.
*
Bayatis are a form of Azerbaijani folk-poetry. Over 10,000 have been written down but most never are. A bayati has four lines, each of seven syllables. Rhyming is on lines 1,2 and 4. The first two lines set the scene and the next two deliver the message. Bayatis express desire, wishes, anxieties, longings and other fundamental human emotions. Both anonymous and named poet composers seek simplicity of expression as well as intricate word-play.
These translations are by Yashar Toghay, pen-name of the hydrological engineer Rahman Khatibi.
