• Hail to Haydar-Baba
• 1-Haydar-Baba when it thunders,
• Floods rush down
• Girls stand back and watch,
o I hail your glory and your people,
o May you remember our names too.
• 2-When your partridges take flight,
• When the rabbits hop out of the bushes,
• When your gardens have burst into blossoms,
May you remember our name too,
And make our depressed hearts happy.
• 3-When Nowruz gales uproot garden shelters!
• And Nowruz flowers and snow drops blossom!
• When the clouds wring out their clothes!
Greetings to those who remember us,
Let our sighs turn into mountains.
• 4-Haydar-Baba may the sun warm your back,
• Make your smiles and your springs shed tears,
• Your children collect a bunch of flowers,
Send it with the coming wind towards us,
Perhaps my sleeping fortune would awaken!
• 5-Haydar-Baba may you be fortunate!
• Be surrounded with springs and orchards!
• May you live long after us!
The world is paved with events, deaths and losses!
This world has long been childless and an orphan!
• 6-Haydar-Baba my way differed from yours,
• Life passed, I could not come until late!
• I could not learn what happened to your beautiful ones,
• Did not know there were perilous paths,
• Losses, separations and death.
• 7-Haydar-Baba good sons are faithful,
• Life passes,regrets are wasteful,
• Disloyal sons won't live long,
Believe me we have never forgotten you,
Forgive us if we failed to see you.
• 8-Haydar-Baba when Mirazhdar calls for pilgrimage,
• And the village is filled with busy noise,
• While Ashig Rustam played his saz,
Do you remember how with such enthusiasm we used to run?
Flapping like winged birds to fly?
• 9-Ashig apples from Shangulava village,
• Staying there as a guest now and then,
• Throwing stones at the apple and quince trees,
All have stayed in my memory like sweet dreams!
Have left traces in my soul and whole being!
• 10-Haydar-Baba the geese of Guri lake,
• The musical melody of the wind at twisted highways,
• The summer and autumn seasons of the village,
Are like moving pictures in front of my eyes!
I sit and watch them within myself!
• 11-Haydar-Baba, Garachiman's Road,
• The sound of pilgrims' reciting,
• May all the troubles of Karbala pilgrimers
Fall in the eyes of the greedy ones,
We are misled by the lies of 'civilization'!
• 12-Haydar-Baba, Satan has misled us!
• Has dug love out of our hearts,
• Has dictated to us the fate of dark days!
Has turned the people against each other!
Friendship is drowned in blood!
• 13-Blood is not shed if one sees another's woe!
• He who is human never carries a dagger!
• Alas, ignorance is a blinding trap!
Our paradise is replaced with hell!
Our happy days are turning mournful!
• 14-When autumn leaves fall,
• And clouds hover over our village,
• Skeykh-al-islam calling for prayer with pleasant voice,
His spiritual words dropped on hearts,
Even the trees bow to his prayer!
• 15-May the Dashli-bulakh spring not be filled with gravel!
• May its orchards not fade away!
• May not passersby on horses ever be thirsty there!
Convey good luck to the running spring,
While watching horizons with sleepy eyes!
• 16-Haydar-Baba, at your mountain slope,
• The partridge sings, followed by its mate.
• The white, grey and black lambs roam.
I wish to wander across the mountain and valleys,
Singing 'o shephard return the flock'!
• 17-Haydar-Baba, through the watery ground,
• Spring water pours from the meadow's eye,
• Lilies swim on the water!
Pretty birds fly over there
Taking time to drink the spring water.
• 18-The farm-hands at harvest time,
• With scythes comb the wheat like hair,
• The hunters seek out quail.
The farm-hands drink their yoghurt,
And after a short nap, return to work.
• 19-Haydar-Baba, as the sun sets over the village,
• And the children have their dinner,
• When the moon appears from behind the clouds,
Tell them stories from us too,
Put a lot of thoughts into our stories!
• 20-When granny used to tell us tales,
• And the wind used to slam windows and doors,
• When wolves used to gobble baby goats,
I still wish to return to childhood.
Once again burst into blossom, and fade away again.
• 21-I long to have my auntie's bread, butter and honey,
• Get up and put on my overcoat,
• And collect gums from the garden trees,
I long for those sweet days!
When I used to ride my wooden horse!
• 22-Haji-khala used to wash clothes in the river,
• Mamad-Sadig used to repair his roof,
• We never realized there were mountains, stones or walls,
We used to jump around everywhere!
How we used to live without care!
• 23-When Sheykh-alislam used to call his prayer,
• Mashadi Rahim put on his cloak
• Mashadi Ajli used to have meat-stew,
We were happy to have food and weddings,
It did not matter, what happens happens.
• 24-Malik-Niyaz while galloping, used to suddenly stop'
• Take his Varandil gun and shoot at his desired target,
• Like falcon hitting their mountain prey.
The girls used to open their windows wide,
What a beautiful scene at the windows!
• 25-Haydar-Baba when there is a wedding in the village,
• The brides give henna and lamp wicks to their guests as gifts,
• And the bridegrooms throw apples from the roof,
I still have my eyes on those girls,
And have my story to be told by singers.
• 26-Haydar-Baba, your spring's watercress,
• The plantations'cucumber and water-melon,
• The hawker's chewing gum and white rock-candy,
Still I remembe its taste in my mouth!
It reminds me of my lost gone- by days.
• 27-It was Nowruz, the night bird was singing,
• The engaged girl, knitted socks for her man,
• Everyone dropped his scarf through a hole,
What a nice tradition was scarf- dropping!
And tying Nowruz gifts to the engaged man's scarf!
• 28-I wanted a scarf too, crying for it in our house,
• I got a scarf and wrapped it round my waist,
• Ran to Gulam's house and threw in my scarf,
Aunty Fatma tied socks on it for me ,
And remembering my khan nana, shed tears!
• 29-Haydar-Baba, Mirza Mamadin's orchard,
• And the orchards' sweet-sour plums,
• The brides' dowry and decorations on the shelves,
Line up in front of my eyes!
Appear along my other memories!
• 30-At Nowruz,they prepare red clay,
• And model shapes to decorate rooms,
• And put bowls, plates and lights on the shelves,
The bride's henna tinted nails,
Cheer up her mother and mother- in-law.
• 31-Baki-traders' story of adventures and papers,
• The cows' milk and cream,
• The wednesday's walnuts and raisins before Nowruz,
The girls jump over fire and water and say:
• wednesday make my fortune as clear as glass!
• 32-We used to colour eggs beautifully,
• Hit eggs against each other and ate the broken ones,
• Did we, ever once, become tired?
Ali used to give me green coloured Ashig!
Reza used to pick flowers for me!
• 33-Nowruz-Ali, used to thresh the wheat,
• Now and then stopped and shovelled the husks,
Then you see a donkey suddenly stopped,
Looking at the mountain, pricked up its ears!
• 34-At evening, as the herd returned to the village,
• We used to pull away the young ones and hold on to them,
• When the herd passed and reached the village,
We used to mount bare-back on the animals and ride,
And dealt with any objections.
• 35-At spring night, waterfall is heard in the river,
• The rocks roaring down with the flood,
• The wolf's eyes shine in darkness,
Suddenly you hear the dogs start barking at a wolf,
And you see it climb over the hill and disappear.
• 36-In winter nights, the room next to the stables,
• Is used as a sitting and bedroom by the villagers,
• Wood burns bright in the stove.
Offered walnuts,dates and dried fruits,
The village is filled with the sound of talking and laughing.
• 37-Cousin Shuja's gift from Baku,
• His setting up the Samovar and chatting on the roof,
• I remember his tall and handsome appearance.
His death turned his wedding into mourning,
The fortune mirror of Nana-Giz became blurred.
• 38-Haydar-Baba, the eyes of Nana-Giz,
• Rakhshanda's very sweet words,
• I wrote in Turkish so they can read,
They ought to know that man passes, only name remains,
Only a taste remains from good and bad.
• 39-Before spring the sun is far off,
• The village children loved playing snow-ball,
• The snow shoveller shovels snow from the roofs,
As if my soul is still there
Like a partridge fallen down and remained in the snow.
• 40-When Granny stretched out her spinning wheel,
• And the sun spun its cotton in the cloud,
• When the aged wolf lost its teeth.
The herd rose and leaped over the other road,
The milk bowls overflowed with milk.
• 41-Khajja-Sultan showed her anger
• Mulla-Bagir quickly went silent,
• The bread oven was on and smoke filled the house,
Our tea-pot boiled on the stove,
Roasting wheat jumped up and down on the baking tin,
• 42-We cleared the plantation and brought back the harvest,
• Filled the house, shelves,boxes and wooden trays,
• We cooked the marrow in the oven,
We ate the marrow and broke open its seeds,
Almost burst by eating too much,
• 43-When the pear-seller arrived from Varzighan,
• The children's noise filled the village,
• Hearing the news the other side of the village,
We ran quickly and made a jubilant noise,
We exchanged wheat for pears.
• 44- At night we went to the river with Mirza Tagi,
• I looked at the drowned moon in the water!
• Suddenly we saw light in the otherside orchard,
We thought it was a wolf, quickly ran
And did not realize when we climbed over the wall.
• 45-Haydar-Baba,your trees became taller,
• Alas your youth became old!
• Your rich men became thin and poor!
The sun disappeared, its shades lost,darkness fell
The wolf's eyes shined in the darkness!
• 46-I have heard that Allah's light is lit,
• Your mosque's spring is running again,
• The village people have become comfortable,
May Mansur- khan be healthy,
May Allah be his support,whereever is he!
• 47-Haydar-Baba,does Mulla Ibrahim still live or not?
• Does he still open his school for the children or not?
• Does he shut his school at harvest time or not?
Convey my greeting to the teacher.
Convey with special respect and words.
• 48-'Khajja- Sultan's aunty has gone to Tabriz',
• But let alone Tabriz, she cannot even come to our house.
• Children get up and let us go to our own home;
Our headman died and our livelihood ended
Those who are like sheep,will be milked by others.
• 49-Haydar-Baba, the world is a false one,
• It has remained so from Solomen and Noah.
• It has given birth to its sons, and put them in trouble.
It has taken away what has given to anyone,
From Plato remained only one name.
• 50-Haydar-Baba, friends and comrades turned away,
• Left me one by one in a deserted place and returned,
• My springs and lights died down.
The sun set and the night fell at a critical place,
The world became like the ruins of Damascus for me.
• 51-The night that I went to Gipchagh with my cousin,
• When the moon rose, the horse began prancing round,
• We climbed from one mountain to another,
Mash-Mami khan rode his blue-black horse
Pulled free his rifle and fired off a shot.
• 52-Haydar-Baba the valley of Gara-Gol,
• Khoshkanab's road, twists and turns;
• There the grey partridge raises her chicks,
From here we go to our village
Let us return to the story of our village.
• 53-who has put Khokanab in this position?
• Among the sayyids who lives and who doesn't?
• Who has brought Amir-Gafar's house?
Does the spring still run and fill the pool?
Or is it dried up and the orchards withered away?
• 54-A-mir-Gafar was the Sayyid's leader,
• His blocking of the shahs as they made their way was amazing.
• He was sweet towards good men, but bitter to bad ones.
He trembled for the right of victims,
And stood against oppressors like a sword.
• 55-Uncle Mir-Mustafa was a tall grand father;
• Handsome and bearded, he looked like an older Tolstoy.
• He could turn a mourning party to a wedding one.
He upheld the honour of Khoshkanab.
He embellished the appearance of mosques and gatherings.
• 56-Majd-alsadat laughed like orchards,
• Her voice was like cloudy mountains,
• Words melted in her mouth like cream;
She had an open face and deep understanding,
Her green eyes shone with a bright light.
• 57-My father kept an open table,
• Helping the people was his job,
• He was the last of the good ones.
After him every thing changed,
The lights of affection went out.
• 58-Mir-Saleh's over-the -top acting,
• Mir-Aziz's passionate participation in religious ceremonies,
• Mir-Mamad's sudden temper and cooling down,
These are all like past events and stories,
That have gone away, lost, dispursed.
• 59-Mir-Abdul's dying his eyebrows,
• The dye dropping from sides of his eyebrows,
• His standing on tip-toe to peer over the walls and houses,
These are like childhood tales of Shah-Abbas,
I well remember the pleasant days of Khoshkanab.
• 60-Aunty Sitara baked lavash,
• Mir-Gadir snatched one from her,
• Bolted away like a foal and ate,
It was funny the way he snatched the lavash
And my aunty's reaction.
• 61-Haydar-Baba, what is A-mir-Haydar doing?
• Surely his Samovar must still be on the boil?
• He must be old and has lost his teeth
His ears hardly hear and his eyes have sunk in his eyebrows,
Poor aunty, it must make her sad!
• 62-Khanum aunty used to pull a face,
• When she heard Mir-Abdul speaking ,
• And swear that 'Azrael take him'
They mixed their quarrel with jokes,
Had their dinner and went to bed afterwards.
• 63- Fizia Khanum was the flower of Khokanab,
• A-Mir -Yahya was the cousin's favourite,
• Rukhsara was like an actress and popular,
Sayyid -Hussein makes fun of Mir-Saleh,
A-Mir- Jafar becomes upset and starts quarrelling.
• 64-Early morning the shephards came,
• Collected lambs and sheep from the houses,
• While aunty tended her babies,
The smoke rose from the bread ovens,
With the sweet smell of hot bread.
• 65- The pigeons soar up together
• At sunrise they spread a golden curtain in sky!
• Then collect the golden curtain and fly away
The sun rises higher and enhances the glory of the mountain
The face of nature becomes younger.
• 66-Haydar-Baba, when you were snow-clad,
• Caravans passed over you at nights,
• Whether I am in Tehran or Kashan
I still can see them in the distance
My imagination covers all the ground.
• 67-I wish I could climb again on your rocks
• And look at the past and bygone ages,
• See again what has happened to you!
I melt your snow with my tears,
And warm up winter-stricken hearts.
• 68-Haydar-Baba, flowers have withered in the bud
• Alas blood is the food of the heart
• Life is a dark prison,
No one opens the shutter of this prison!
To let us be free and escape from this prison!!
• 69-Haydar-Baba, the skies are cloudy and misty
• Our days are worse than before,
• Take care lest we be separated one from another!
Goodness is taken away from us!
We are left in a desolate position!
• 70-Ask this cursed universe
• What does it want from this chaos it has created?
• Tell the universe to set the stars free
Let the earth turn up side down
And this Satanic system be removed.
• 71-I wish to fly with the blowing wind,
• Race the water running from the mountain,
• And shed tears for my deserted people,
Discover who created this division between us!
And who has passed away and who remain!
• 72-Like you I shout my words to the mountains;
• You send this message to the skies;
• You cannot even shut an owl in a cage;
Here is a lion, roaming from its prison cage,
Calling on insensitive human beings!
• 73-Haydar-Baba, when your sense of honour is roused,
• When the 'black clouds' leave you alone and fly away,
• And rise from your rocks like a sheet of rain,
Get up and see my honour over there
Look down and see my suppressed being!
• 74-Haydar-Baba, when geese fly over at night,
• Kor-oghli's eyes recognize dark shadow,
• Mounts on his horse, Girat, and gallops away,
• Here I can not achieve my purpose so quickly!
• I can not sleep unless Eyvaz returns safely!
• 75-Haydar-Baba, give birth to brave sons,
• Break the necks of the wicked,
• Trap the wolves at the high way,
Let the herd freely graze in the open,
The sheep become fat!
• 76-Haydar-Baba, may you always be cheerful!
• Your mouth enjoy good fare!
• Your table be open to both friends and strangers,
Tell the world that my poet son Shahryar!
Has sorrow piled upon sorrow in all his days!
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