Song Of Natela - Akaki Tsereteli

I gently strung my chonguri,

And tuned its chords with softness low,

Till every string rang harmony…

Odela-dela-delao!

It hums; then swells. O chonguri,

Your sounds delightful over me flow

In unison of melody

Odela-dela-delao!

But if a chord were rent in twain,

Its song would sink to hummings low,

So, quickly string the chord again. . .

Odela-dela-delao!

The chonguri is Georgia fair;

The chords whose strains to anthems grow

Are we - her sons, her love and care…

Odela-dela-delao!

The broken chords turned glory bright

To darkness and to endless woe

Alas! can we sing in the night?

Odela-dela-delao!

The tiny ants together cling

In unity through weal or woe;

Then, why do we divided sing?

Odela-dela-delao!

A throne or us is unity;

A hangman's halter for the foe! -

And while he sings: "O woe is me!"

We'll sing: "Odela-delao".

I bend my head as solitude

And sorrow bid my tears to flow;

My song is done; the chords are mute…

Odela-dela-delao!

---

Akaki Tsereteli (1840 - 1915) Georgia

Translated by Venera Urushadze

Source: Anthology of Georgian Poetry, Translated by Venera Urushadze, State Publishing House, 1958 

Choghuri - a plucked string musical instrument common in Azerbaijan and Georgia. It has 4 nylon strings.