Hamlet Gonashvili (1928-1985), one of Georgia’s most beloved singers and a master of songs from Kartli and Kakheti, popularized this love song from Eastern Georgia.
1. khokhbis qelivit lamazi
kali gadmodga mtaze da
chemsk'en ighimis matsdurad
bindi gadmek'ra tvalze da
net'avi tu gqavs kmaria
mart'o rad gishvebs ts'qalze da
chemi rom iqo lamazo
ar mogitsileb mk'lavze da
A woman with the beauty of a pheasant's neck stood on the hillside.
She looks at me with piercing eyes, and my eyes are covered with fog.
I wonder: If you have a husband, why is he letting you go to the spring alone?
If you were mine, I would never let you go alone,
I would never let you stray from my side.
2. Shens tavs aravis davutmod
vpitsav am chemsa mzesao
shentvis gavts'irav sitsotskhles
shentvisa shevdzrav mtebsao
bevrs arasa gtkhov ismine
am chemi gulis k'vnesao
amagham chemtan gadmodi
arak'ebs get'qvi bevrsao
I would never let anyone take you away from me.
I swear to my sun, I would give my life for you,
I would shake the mountains for you.
I’m not asking you for too much, just listen to me,
listen to what comes from my heart.
Come to me tonight and I will recite love poetry to you.
BACK TO MUSIC 3. chadzinebuls rom gnakhvide
shvlis nuk'ris tvalebiano
kalav shens akhlos ver moval
guli ar shegiprtkhiano
mart'o dagkhedav mdzinarsa
prtkhilad rom shegekhmiano
ikneb churchulit shegk'itkho
ra gesizmreba ghvtiano
If I were to see you sleeping
You, with eyes of deer,
I would not be able to come near you
because I wouldn't want to make your heart tremble.
I will just watch you sleeping
and talk to you very quietly.
Maybe I will ask you in whispers:
What do you dream of?
