Harsanekan

Hi there everybody,

I've been looking for the lyrics to this particular traditional Armenian wedding song named "Harsanekan" to no avail. I'd be grateful if anybody here can help me. The curious thing is that, being from the Turkish province of Erzurum, we have been singing the exact tune with Turkish lyrics for many years if not centuries so it would be great if I can find the Armenian lyrics (transliteration of course, I'm not an Hay) and translation.

By the way, lyrics to Haig Yazdjian's Mer Dan would also be appreciated.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Here is the song



Very nice!

Թագվոր բարով, հազար բարով, հազար բարով
Կարմիր ծաղիկ տերևներով, տերևներով
Աստվածածին արև թոռշնի
Դու վարդի բացված թփերով:
Թագվոր բարով, հազար բարով,
(հոյ նարե, հոյ նարե)
Բարով հասնեք ձեր մուրազին`գովան հարսին,
Ծլեք-ծաղկեք, աշխարհ լցնեք գովամ փեսին:
Գովամ հարսինին, նորափեսին
Ծլեք-ծաղկեք աշխարհ լցնիք
Գյուլում ջան, գյուլում ջան:
Գովամ հարսինին, նորափեսին:
Աղչի անսիրտ, յաման, յաման
Իմ տղի հետ խաղ ես արել
Մարմարի ես, պսդիկ բերան
Իմ ջիգյարը դաղ ես արել:
Արի, մեռնիք քզի, ձեռիդ թասով ջուր տու մըզի
Մենք եկել ենք լաց չըլես,
Սիրով սրտանց հարս կըլես:
Էն արև, երկնից արև, տեսեք գար իջի
Էն արև, երկնից արև, մեր թագավորն ի
Էն լունյակ, երկնից լուսնյակ, տեսեք գար իջի
Էն լուսնյակ, սիրուն լուսնյակ, մեր թագուհին ի:
Արի, մեռնիք քզի, ձեռիդ թասով ջուր տու մզի
Մենք եկել ենք լաց չըլես,
Սիրով սրտանց հարս կըլես:
Եկուր աղվոր աղջիկ, հարս եղիր մըզի
Զմրուխտ անգին քար եղի մըզի:
Գարնան սիրուն ծաղիկ ես
Ճերմակ, ճերմակ աղունիկ ես
Նաղշուն մեծ թիթեռնիկ ես
Ախ, ինչ սիորւն հարսիկ ես:


T’agvor barov, hazar barov, hazar barov
Karmir tsaghik terevnerov, terevnerov
Astvatsatsin arev t’vorrshni
Du vardi bats’vats t’p’yerov:
T’agvor barov, hazar barov,
(hoy nare, hoy nare)
Barov hasnek’ dzer murazin`govan harsin,
Tslek’-tsaghkek’, ashkharh lts’nek’ govam p’yesin:
Govam harsinin, norap’yesin
Tslek’-tsaghkek’ ashkharh lts’nik’
Gyulum jan, gyulum jan:
Govam harsinin, norap’yesin:
Aghch’i ansirt, yaman, yaman
Im tghi het khagh yes arel
Marmari yes, psdik beran
Im jigyary dagh yes arel:
Ari, merrnik’ k’zi, dzerrid t’asov jur tu myzi
Menk’ yekel yenk’ lats’ ch’yles,
Sirov srtants’ hars kyles:
En arev, yerknits’ arev, tesek’ gar iji
En arev, yerknits’ arev, mer t’agavorn i
En lunyak, yerknits’ lusnyak, tesek’ gar iji
En lusnyak, sirun lusnyak, mer t’aguhin i:
Ari, merrnik’ k’zi, dzerrid t’asov jur tu mzi
Menk’ yekel yenk’ lats’ ch’yles,
Sirov srtants’ hars kyles:
Yekur aghvor aghjik, hars yeghir myzi
Zmrukht angin k’ar yeghi myzi:
Garnan sirun tsaghik yes
Chermak, chermak aghunik yes
Naghshun mets t’it’yerrnik yes
Akh, inch’ siorwn harsik yes:

How about a translation, ArmeniatheBeautiful?

Wow! I didn't expect an answer this fast. Thank you @feuersteve for your help and yes a translation would be complementary.

Rica ederim Taylan!

I just happened to be reviewing some of the Armenian posts and threads and discovered your post.

I guess you've noticed that the Turkish thread is really popular here.

A lot of my German friends also like to visit Turkey.

But it's a little hard for me.

We will have to leave it to ARMENIAtheBEAUTIFUL or one of the other Armenians to translate, I'm afraid.

Thanks for the heads up, feuersteve

Dear Taylan,
I'm not surprised that you are from that part of Turkey. I'm further not surprised that your family has been singing a song to this tune for years. Please take into consideration that before Turkey changed the name of the region from "Karin" (the original Armenian name of the region) to "Erzurum", this place was a part of Western Armenia and it was entirely inhabited by Armenians. Eventually, the atrocities of Armenians continued and amounted to the Armenian Genocide. 75% of the Armenians were wiped out from what is today called Turkey. Experts estimate that there are at least 3 million hidden Armenians in Turkey today (that is just those who actually know of their Armenian roots). When you count the Hamsen Armenians and the many more who don't even know that their grandmothers were stolen and forced to marry a Turk or a Kurd, I bet there would be many more than 3 million. (Yasar Kurt, Fethiye Çetin, etc just to name a few.)

My point is that despite the Armenian genocide, I'm sure Armenian influences have remained in the Armenian ancestral homeland (now called Erzurum). Anyway, I hope you enjoy this:

"Harsanekan" by Inga & Anush

Թագվոր բարով, հազար բարով, հազար բարով
T’agvor barov, hazar barov, hazar barov
Hello King, a thousand hello's, a thousand hello's

Կարմիր ծաղիկ տերևներով, տերևներով
Karmir tsaghik terevnerov, terevnerov
Red flower with leaves, with leaves

Աստվածածին արև թոռշնի
Astvatsatsin arev t’vorrshni
God give us sun

Դու վարդի բացված թփերով:
Du vardi bats’vats t’p’yerov:
You with open rose bushes

Թագվոր բարով, հազար բարով,
T’agvor barov, hazar barov,
Hello King, a thousand hello's

(հոյ նարե, հոյ նարե)
(hoy nare, hoy nare)
(this doesn't mean anything in particular... it's like how english songs often have "oh yeah" but "hoy nare" doesn't mean anything in particular)

Բարով հասնեք ձեր մուրազին`գովան հարսին,
Barov hasnek’ dzer murazin`govan harsin,
May you reach you goal-- your praiseworthy bride


Ծլեք-ծաղկեք, աշխարհ լցնեք գովամ փեսին:
Tslek’-tsaghkek’, ashkharh lts’nek’ govam p’yesin:
May you sprout and blossom, fill the world, praiseworthy groom (it's symbolic for having many kids)


Գովամ հարսինին, նորափեսին
Govam harsinin, norap’yesin
Praise the bride, the new groom

Ծլեք-ծաղկեք աշխարհ լցնիք
Tslek’-tsaghkek’ ashkharh lts’nik’
May you sprout and blossom, fill the world

Գյուլում ջան, գյուլում ջան:
Gyulum jan, gyulum jan:
Dear rose, dear rose

Գովամ հարսինին, նորափեսին:
Govam harsinin, norap’yesin:
Praise the bride, the new groom

Աղչի անսիրտ, յաման, յաման
Aghch’i ansirt, yaman, yaman
Girl you’re heartless, feisty, feisty

Իմ տղի հետ խաղ ես արել
Im tghi het khagh yes arel
With my son, you’ve played a game

Մարմարի ես, պսդիկ բերան
Marmari yes, psdik beran
You are of marble (symbolic for beautiful and of good quality), small mouth

Իմ ջիգյարը դաղ ես արել:
Im jigyary dagh yes arel:
You’ve hurt my loved one

Արի, մեռնիք քզի, ձեռիդ թասով ջուր տու մըզի
Ari, merrnik’ k’zi, dzerrid t’asov jur tu myzi
Come, I’ll die for you (yes, we Armenians exaggerate sometimes in our speech), with that container in your hand, bring us water

Մենք եկել ենք լաց չըլես,
Menk’ yekel yenk’ lats’ ch’yles,
We’ve come, don’t cry (the family has come to the girl’s house to ask for her hand)

Սիրով սրտանց հարս կըլես:
Sirov srtants’ hars kyles:
Be a bride with heart and be sincere

Էն արև, երկնից արև, տեսեք գար իջի
En arev, yerknits’ arev, tesek’ gar iji
That sun, the sun of our universe, see it rise

Էն արև, երկնից արև, մեր թագավորն ի
En arev, yerknits’ arev, mer t’agavorn i
That sun, the sun of our universe, it’s our king

Էն լուսնյակ, երկնից լուսնյակ, տեսեք գար իջի
En lusnyak, yerknits’ lusnyak, tesek’ gar iji
That moon, the moon of our universe, see it rise

Էն լուսնյակ, սիրուն լուսնյակ, մեր թագուհին ի:
En lusnyak, sirun lusnyak, mer t’aguhin i:
That moon, beautiful moon, it’s our queen

Արի, մեռնիք քզի, ձեռիդ թասով ջուր տու մզի
Ari, merrnik’ k’zi, dzerrid t’asov jur tu mzi
Come, I’ll die for you (yes, we Armenians exaggerate sometimes in our speech), with that container in your hand, bring us water
Մենք եկել ենք լաց չըլես,
Menk’ yekel yenk’ lats’ ch’yles,
We’ve come, don’t cry (the family has come to the girl’s house to ask for her hand)

Սիրով սրտանց հարս կըլես:
Sirov srtants’ hars kyles:
Be a bride with heart and be sincere

Եկուր աղվոր աղջիկ, հարս եղիր մըզի
Yekur aghvor aghjik, hars yeghir myzi
Come beautiful girl, be a bride for us (for the family asking for her hand)

Զմրուխտ անգին քար եղի մըզի:
Zmrukht angin k’ar yeghi myzi:
Be a priceless Emerald stone for us

Գարնան սիրուն ծաղիկ ես
Garnan sirun tsaghik yes
You are a beautiful flower of Spring

Ճերմակ, ճերմակ աղունիկ ես
Chermak, chermak aghunik yes
You are a white, white bird

Նաղշուն մեծ թիթեռնիկ ես
Naghshun mets t’it’yerrnik yes
You are a large patterned butterfly

Ախ, ինչ սիրուն հարսիկ ես:
Akh, inch’ siorwn harsik yes:
Oh, what a beautiful bride you are

Hallo feuersteve, wie geht's dir?

Yes, I can see many Turkish young people trying to "prove" themselves and "promote" their misunderstood culture through social media yet without sufficient resources and background. Many of them are unqualified to teach or even provide information about Turkish language so most of the information conveyed through such intercultural forums as this one tends to be inaccurate.

Whatever, if you are interested in Turkish, I am here to help you the best way I can. While every language has its linguistically evil powers, Turkish may not be as scary as it seems, at least grammatically.


Parev dear brother ARMENIAtheBEAUTIFUL,

First off, thank you very much for your response and I do appreciate your time and efforts you made to translate this beautiful tune for us. I can recognize certain elements that are shared by neighboring cultures of Anatolia, Caucasus and Middle East such as "hoy nare" which is a phrase commonly used by Kurds and Persians and "gulum jan" which is also used by Turkish, Kurdish, Laz and Iranian people.

As to the information you have provided, while I have to admit there were tens of thousands of Armenian casualties in the Turco-Armenian conflict of the early 20th Century, it seems quite unnecessary and inappropriate to provide such ambiguous information in response to a Turkish man who just wants to extend his sympathy to his neighbors. Your conceited remarks about how I may know the tune, that you can immediately guess where I come from and the influence that Armenian culture has been able to impose upon their villainous neighbors despite the genocide, etc. made me feel that you think I am an ignorant brute who lives in a remote, isolated place. I do know what my hometown was once called and I grew up listening to the stories of the interaction my grandparents enjoyed with their Armenian and Zazaki neighbors and friends. As an Alevi Turkmen with minor Zazaki ethnic background, you can be sure that my people suffered inhumane, violent and even disgusting agony and anguish not once but countless times for almost 13 centuries in the hands of Sunni Muslim Turks and Shafi'i Kurds and even extrinsic Muslim Laz and wannabe Nationalist-Turk Hemshins of ancient Armenian descent, therefore I do know a hell lot about genocide, suffering and being ruthlessly discriminated, insulted and scorned and I also know the history of this region very deeply. As to the genocide, which is not a word to be used arbitrarily, almost every minority on the earth has a word or two to say about it and they think that they have the right to blame every dominant culture based upon their own history. There are a lot of things to say but this forum is not the right place and personally I do not think such biased political discussions would come to a conclusion in favor of any of the parties.

All neighboring cultures have naturally been interacting with each other since the beginning of the human history, so it is not surprising to see many cultural, linguistic and traditional elements are shared by and between them. It is unnecessary, meaningless, inappropriate and even ill-minded to advocate the superiority of any of these cultures over others and claim and discuss the authenticity of such shared cultural elements. So, I intend not to enforce you to forget but please do not let malevolent, inhumane and destructive deeds of both our ancestors and abomination of the past keep us and the prudent new generations we will create from discovering the beauty of sharing and appreciation.

I am happy to learn about the once-eminent Armenian culture that is unfortunately almost perished from Anatolia and I would expect from you, as a wholehearted protector of his culture, to wonder and ask me about the Turkish words and invite me to discuss only the "CULTURAL" aspects of our cultures yet unsurprisingly I have exposed unnecessary political arguments. Please do not response me unless you decide to let politics and propaganda aside and want to share the beautiful things we have.

Shad hatcheli e

Tshedesutyun!

Dear Taylan,

Hate is never the solution to anything. In fact, it is just the cause of more problems. I know this, so I don't appreciate your accusations. You said " being from the Turkish province of Erzurum" so I took it as just that. I didn't assume anything about you, personally, or your family. I merely spoke of the Armenians' history in their homeland (Karin / Erzurum) since you said this Armenian song reminds you of a song that is known in modern Erzurum.

My grandparents all spoke fluent Turkish as did my father. I, too, am fascinated by languages and while I don't have time to learn Turkish, I listen to Turkish songs (in addition to many other languages). Please don't accuse me of hatred or propaganda when I speak of the Armenian genocide.

You can't honestly call the suffering of my family propaganda. This propaganda is the reason why I don't live in Karin (Erzurum) today and you do. While some Turks also died, you surely can't compare the Turks' deaths from being on the losing side in WW2 and the deaths of the Armenians from the Armenian genocide. It's just inconceivable that you would find such a comparison to not be offensive. And then you accuse me of hatred?

By the way, I don't know any Armenians who just hate Turks because they are Turks. All Armenians want is for Turks to speak the truth about the Armenian genocide. After all, the word "genocide" was created by Raphael Lemkin ESPECIALLY because of what the Turks did to the Armenians. At the time, no word existed that captured the heinous nature of the Armenians' suffering. So, the word, "genocide" was created.

Anyway, you won't find an ounce of hatred in me. Likewise, you won't find anyone who is more fascinated and in love with Armenian and Turkish music.

Cheers,
an Armenian sister

Ah dear ARMENIAtheBEAUTIFUL, here we start again.

You've got me all wrong.

Never in my life have I denied or owned the Armenian Genocide and if you could sincerely read what I have written in this thread, I have NOT called your family's suffering a propaganda or accused you about it yet here you are still accusing me not to show sympathy. I invite you to start all over again reading and understanding my statements here. You say, you have no hatred in you at all yet I can see that you have no sympathy either. I do not see your sympathy about my people. Why don't you bother talking about it? You may not know any Armenian who hates Turks for being Turks but I and many of my people do hate Sunni Turks for what they have done and are doing to my people. You accuse me for underestimating your family's suffering. Why there is not a single word of sympathy about my people's endless suffering in your statements here? The problem with Armenian people is that they have no feelings for anything but their cause. I have always supported my many Armenian friends because I know what their families suffered in the past. My grandma once told me sobbing that she had felt like her sister had been taken away from her when soldiers had taken her Armenian friend and named one of her grandchildren Ani after her. I have never said, "Armenians died but they killed Turks". I always try to support every people who suffers unjust, violent oppression.

As far as I can see, you know nothing about Alevis, otherwise you would know that an Alevi would NEVER compare evil deeds to justify the death of the innocent. Not a single word in my previous post implies a comparison between Turkish and Armenian deaths. I am fed up with being accused for Armenian Genocide, Assyrian Genocide, Greek Genocide, that genocide, this genocide. No one talks about countless Alevi "GENOCIDES" but when I say I am a Turk, any conversation concludes to Armenian Genocide. "Oh, how beautiful is that flower!", "Because Genocide!"; "Oh, how cute is that cat!", "Because Genocide!"… I DON'T care if Turkish Government accepts or denies the genocide accusations. No one can change or cover up what was happened but if you insist sticking your cause in people's eyes, you will eventually lose their sympathy. You must understand that those evil people who killed your ancestors are not my ancestors. Ottoman Turks, and all Sunni Turks and Shafi'i Kurd for that matter, might have conducted a systematic malicious plan upon your people but trust me, they would prefer all Armenians over Alevis.

I do understand your smoldering feelings but you still feed me up with encyclopedic information to support an argument which I do not oppose and accuse me for accusing you.

I will say no more. I wish you, your family and your people happiness and I end this conversation here. You may have a lot to say but please stop it here.

I don't understand why you get so personally offended when I speak of the Armenian genocide if you truly feel your Turkish ancestors did not play a part in it.

I quote you here: "Please do not response me unless you decide to let politics and propaganda aside and want to share the beautiful things we have."

And now you claim you never claimed the genocide was propaganda.

I am honestly at a loss of words. What you want to accomplish-- I have no idea. You get frustrated when I speak of the Armenian genocide and want me to be fine with your government's denial of the Armenian genocide because the Alevi's have suffered discrimination. Your logic here is not only confusing, but frustrating.

Just because I speak of the Armenian genocide, you cannot accuse me of being ignorant of the Alevi's sufferings (at the hands of Turks), the Kurds suffering (at the hands of Turks), the Assyrians suffering (at the hands of Turks), or anyone else's suffering (again at the hands of Turks). If you want to fix the future and you are tired of hearing everyone's disdain with the Turkish government and Turks' treatment of non-Turks (and even Turk minorities), maybe think about the problem being TURKS and not everyone else.

You can't just force everyone to not talk about how the Turks have committed heinous crimes and not even apologized just so you are not offended, as a Turk. That is selfish and an unrealistic goal.