Two round-dance song texts (from my Anthology of Georgian Folk Poetry)

Ia mtazeda Violet on the mountain

ia mtazeda, tovlianzeda, Violet on the mountain, on the snowy mountain,

ia davtese, vardi mosula, I planted a violet, up came a rose,

ia k'och'amde, vardi muxlamde, Violets to my ankles, roses to my neck,

irmisa jogi shemochveula. A herd of deer came over this way.

net'amc edzovnat, ar gaekelat. May they graze freely, but trample them not.

sidze-simamri mtas c'amosulan. The groom went out with his father-in-law,

shexvdat iremi korbudiani, — They met on the mountain a large-antlered buck.

st'q'orcna sasidzom: mohk'la iremi. The son-in-law shot — he killed the buck.

st'q'orcna simamrma: mohk'la sasidzo. The father-in-law shot — he killed the groom.

— shvilo barbare, me ra gaxaro, — "Barbara, my child, what can I tell you?

sakmro mogik'al, tavs nu moik'lav. I killed your husband, don't kill yourself."

— shen mama chemo, darbaiselo,— "May you, my father, my father so noble

— shen chemi codvit ar moisveno, Never find rest from the sin you have done.

roca gitxari, ar gamatxove, When I asked to marry, you would not let me,

axla matxoveb — momik'al kmari. Now I am married — you killed my husband."

momeci c'aldi, gza gavik'apo, Give me a hatchet, to cut me a path,

momec santeli, gza gavinato! Give me a candle, to light me the way!

ahq'e ghelesa, dahq'e ghelesa, — Go up the valley and go down the valley

ik sheeq'rebi shens saq'varelsa. There you will find the one you had loved.

avq'e ghelesa, davq'e ghelesa, I went up the valley and went down the valley

ik sheveq'are chem saq'varelsa. And there I found him, the one I had loved.

ajda q'orani, glejda tvalebsa ... A raven perched on him, tore at his eyes . . .

— aksha, q'orano, she gauxarelo, — Scram, raven, scram, insatiable one!

nu glej tvalebsa: Tear not his eyes:

ertxelac aris, naxednimc aris. There was a time he saw me with them.

ajda q'orani, glejda mk'lavebsa ... A raven perched on him, tore at his arms . . .

— aksha, q'orano, she gauxarelo, — Scram, raven, scram, insatiable one!

nu glej mk'lavebsa: Tear not his arms:

ertxelac aris, naxvevnimc ari. There was a time he embraced me with them.

ajda q'orani, glejda t'uchebsa ... A raven perched on him, tore at his lips . . .

— aksha, q'orano, she gauxarelo, — Scram, raven, scram, insatiable one!

nu glej t'uchebsa: Tear not his lips:

ertxelac aris, nak'ocnimc ari. There was a time he kissed me with them.

Samaia Samaia

samaia samtagana Samaia, one of three

— ra t'urpa ram xaro; — Oh, how lovely you are;

samaias tavi miq'varda I was in love with Samaia

— ra t'urpa ram xaro; — Oh, how lovely you are;

liso, liso, kari kriso Liso, Liso, so the wind sings

— lisim dalaleo; — Lisim dalaleo;

shavardeni prtasa shliso The peregrine falcon spreads its wings

— lisim dalaleo; — Lisim dalaleo.

arigebul, charigebul The line moves up, the line moves down

— ra t'urpa ram xaro; — Oh, how lovely you are;

dauvlidi, dahq'vebodi Form a ring, and follow round

— ra t'urpa ram xaro. — Oh, how lovely you are.

liso, liso, kari kriso Liso, Liso, so the wind sings

— lisim dalaleo; — Lisim dalaleo;

shavardeni prtasa shliso The peregrine falcon spreads its wings

— lisim dalaleo. — Lisim dalaleo.