ARMENIAN LYRICS

Mer Hayreniq, azat, ankakh, 
Vor aprel é daré dar.
Irvordiqd ard kanchoum é 
Azat, ankakh Hayastan,
Ir vordiq ard kanchoum é 
Azat, ankakh Hayastan.

Aha yeghbayr qez mi drôsh,
Zor im dzerqov gordsetsi.
Gishernerd yes qoun chegha,
Artasouqov Ivatsi.
Gishernerd yes qoun chegha,
Artasouqov Ivatsi.

Nayir nran yereq gouynov,
Nvirakan mék nshan,
T'ogh p'oghp'oghi t'shnamou dém,
T'ogh misht pandsa Hayastan.
T'ogh p'oghp'oghi t'shnamou dém,
T'ogh misht pandsa Hayastan.

Amenayn tegh mahd mi é
Mard mi angam pit merni,
Bayts yerani vor iur azgi
Azatout'yan kd zohvi
Bayts yerani vor iur azgi
Azatout'yan kd zohvi

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ENGLISH TRANSLATION
 
Land of our fathers, free, independent,
Which has endured from age to age.
Its sons and daughters now proclaim
Armenia, sovereign and free.
Its sons and daughters now proclaim
Armenia, sovereign and free.

Brother, take this banner,
Made with my own hands,
During sleepless nights,
And bathed in my tears.
During sleepless nights,
And bathed in my tears.

See, it has three colours;
A single hallowed symbol.
May it sparkle before the foe,
May Armenia flourish ever!
May it sparkle before the foe,
May Armenia flourish ever!

Death is everywhere the same,
Man is born just once to die,
But blest is he who gives his life
To defend his nation's freedom.
But blest is he who gives his life
To defend his nation's freedom.


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Armenia
"Mer Hayrenik" (Our Fatherland)

Words by:Miqayél Ghazari
Music by:Barsegh Kanachyan
Adopted:1991

The words to "Mer Hayrenik", taken from a poem by Miqayél Ghazari, were set to
music long before Armenia adopted it as her anthem upon regaining her
independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The present anthem is a modified
version of the original song, which consisted of five clauses. Some of the
words have also been changed appropriately to reflect the freedom and
independence of the country. The anthem melody was found to date from the 19th
century in what is now Istanbul, Turkey as avocal exercise for singers.

In 2006, a search was sent out for a new national anthem, as the criticisms
against "Mer Hayrenik" was that it was only meant as a temporary anthem, was
not composed by an Armenian, and does not reflect modern Armenia. One of the
proposed candidates is the melody (but not the lyrics) of the anthem of Soviet
Armenia.

Special thanks to:Klaus Caussmacher for the sheet music.

See also: Armenia_(1944-1991), Nagorno-Karabagh..

