GOD-kindled soul, brave general of the host
Made strong by Christ! New Judas Maccabeus,
Chief conqueror, giving courage for the fight,
Victorious alike in life and death!
Bold champion against the Persian faith!
For love of true religion’s sacred name
And of the freedom of the fatherland,
(O greatest love!) you did not spare yourself;
You perished, and Armenia arose,
Vartan Mamigonian!
O cross-clad warrior, spurring your white steed,
Say, whither are you going in such haste?
The fellow soldier of brave Vartan I,
His fellow soldier of the self-same blood.
To reach the field of Ardaz forth I go;
And with the cross’s arms, like butting horns,
The herds of the black goats I there shall crush.
Go, go, your sword turned toward the enemy,
Khorene Khorkhorooni!
Love-kindled soul, made wise by heavenly lore!
Against the Persian worshipers of fire
Wisely you fought. You sacrificed yourself;
You left this world; in heaven is your reward.
Yea, with great wisdom that exchange was made,
Wise Humayag!
Most choice foundation rock for Ararat,
The builded of the Lord, our Mother Zion!
Broken from the top of Massis, you rolled down
To Ardaz; there you smote and you destroyed
The false fire-altars of the Magian faith.
Higher the glory of the cross arose,
Satan our enemy was overcome,
Wondrous Dajad!
Who, mounted on his black, swift-flying steed,
With blazing eyes, looks neither left nor right,
And goes to battle with an eager heart?
He knows that holy is the fatherland,
It is a duty high to die for it.
Go swiftly, swiftly go! I love your soul.
That vow is sacred. Give your light and life-
The light and life your country gave to you.
A death like that is immortality,
Which evil men of this world do not know,
Ardag Balooni!
O scion of a valiant race! I love
Your stature like a plane-tree, that has raised
Your head toward heaven. ‘Twas God that made you grow.
Give, do not spare that stature, nor your life,
For church and nation; sow that ready seed,
And water it with red blood from your veins,
That it may grow into a lily fair,
O Nerses, hero wonderfully built!
Angelic youth, graceful and beautiful,
Who came from Knooni’s garden full of flowers!
God planted you, blind Hazgerd plucked you up;
Yet living still and blooming you remain.
O what a youthful sacrifice you gave,
Of your free will, for your dear country’s sake!
You, a new Sahag, nurtured tenderly,
You, of the house of good St. Gregory
Our father, like a lamb were sacrificed,
Delicate Vahan!
Your heart full-armed with holy zeal, to take
Vengeance for faith and fatherland, the field
Of Avarair you entered, spoiled and slew
The sons of gloomy Oromisda; seeking
To light up the fire-altars, and put out
Father St. Gregory’s bright-shining lamp.
Your blood put out the altars false of fire
And lighted up Armenia’s burning torch,
Amiable Arsen!
Yonder before grim Hazgerd’s judgment seat,
Or here upon the field of Ardaz, aye
Forward in word, in answer, and with blade;
An ardent lover of the spotless faith
Of Jesus, and your country’s liberty;
With two dear kinsmen clasped in fond embrace,
Sweetly you fell asleep. That sleep is sweet.
Let your tired arms a little while repose.
The flowers of Shavarshan, your monument,
Upon your grave, spread shade above your head,
O forward Karekin!
Free nobles of the royal family,
Two eagles winged by love, from Osdan’s hill
You, swiftly soaring, came to Avarair.
For what? Was it to hunt the unclean beasts,
The sons of Servan of the darkness born,
Tearing the flocks of sable crows to bits
With hooked claws? Bravely you fought; you smote
And you were smitten; at the last, you fell.
Nay, you are living still, and standing firm
Still, for the sake of the Armenian race,
O great Ardzrouni knights, Vahan, Sahag!
Be proud, O Gregory! Be lifted up!
Behold your lambs, who, having bravely fought
The apostate wolves, into the carnage sank.
From heaven above behold them, newly winged,
In flocks like doves, flying from earth to you!
Make broad your lap, give them a resting place;
Your sons are weary. Count them one by one.
One thousand martyrs they and thirty-six,
Whom the church sprung from you presents to heaven.
O God of Gregory, Nerses, Sahag!
God of our holy ancestors, behold
An all-devoted sacrifice for thee-
Such martyrs’ sacred blood! Receive it, Lord!
Remember, Lord! Have mercy, Lord, and visit
The holy Vartan’s suffering fatherland!
(Mugurditch Chrimian Hairig)
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