Վահան Թէքէեան։ Եկեղեցին Հայկական
Եկեղեցին Հայկական, ծննդավայրն է հոգւոյս,
Ինչպես քարայր մ’ընդարձակ, պարզ ու խորհուրդ, մութ ու լոյս…
Իր գաւիթով հիւրընկալ, իր լայն բեմով, ու հեռուն,
Կանգնած իր լուռ խորանով, որ կարծես նաւ մ’է ծըփուն…
Եկեղեցին Հայկական ես աչքըս գոց կը տեսնեմ,
Ու կը շնչեմ, կը լսեմ՝ իր Յիսուսով մանկադէմ,
Իր սեղանէն մըխացող, գուլայ – գուլայ խունկերով,
Եւ իր պատերը ցնցող աղօթքներով ալեխռով…
Եկեղեցին Հայկական բարձր բերդն է հաւատքին
Իմ պապերուս, որ հողէն զայն քար առ քար հանեցին
Եւ երկինքէն իջուցին զայն ցօղ առ ցօղ , ամպ առ ամպ
Ու թաղուեցան անոր մէջ հանդարտութեամբ, հեզութեամբ…
Եկեղեցին Հայկական մեծ վարագոյր մ’է բանուած,
Որուն ետեւ, սըկիհին մէջ, կ’իջնէ ինքը Աստուած,
Որուն առջեւ գլխահակ կու գայ իմ ազգըս ամբողջ
Հաղորդըւիլ Անցեալին հաց ու գինւով կենսառողջ…
Եկեղեցին Հայկական ծովուն դիմաց ալեկոծ
Նաւահանգիստ մ’է խաղաղ. ցուրտ գիշերին՝ հո՛ւր եւ բոց.
Ու տօթակէզ ցերեկին անտա՛ռ մըն է ըստուերոտ,
Ուր շուշաններ կը ծաղկին Շարականի գետին մօտ…
Եկեղեցին Հայկական մէն մի քարին տակ գետնի
Դէպի երկինք բարձրացող գաղտնի ճամբայ մը ունի…
Եկեղեցին Հայկական Հայ Հոգիին եւ Մարմնոյն
Զըրահանդերձ է փայլուն, մինչ իր խաչերն են դաշոյն
Եւ զանգակներն են բոմբիւն, եւ երգն է միշտ յաղթութիւն…։
A translation by Diana Der Hovanessian and Dr. Marzbed Margosian
The Armenian Church
‘The Armenian church is the birthplace of my spirit,
shadowed and illuminated like a cavern;
but vast and vaulted, its entrance welcomes guests
to the wide sanctuary where the altar floats
in silence in the distance like a mighty ship.
Even with my eyes closed I can see it,
its Christ's face bright as a child's.
When I breathe in, I breathe its holy incense
Smoking on its altar, its sturdy walls quaking
with old and stormy prayers.
‘The Armenian church js the unyielding fortress
of our fathers’ faith. They raised it
stone by stone out of the earth.
They lowered it dewfall by dew from the heavens,
And they were buried in hushed stillness there.
The Armenian church is the tapestry curtain
behind which God Himself descends
into the chalice. And before which my nation
bows its head for communion with the wine
and life-giving bread of our past.
Against storms, our church is haven and harbor.
Against the cold night, itis fire and flame.
It is the shaded forest in the heat of day
where lilies flower watered by sharagans.
‘The Armenian church knows the secret road to heaven
hidden under every stone, For the Armenign spirit
and body itis the shining armor, its crosses swords;
its bells reverberate with the victory we know is ours.
Translated by Diana Der Hovanessian & Dr. Marzbed Margosian
__________
THE ARMENIAN CHURCH
By Vahan Tekeyan
The Armenian Church is the birthplace of my soul.
Like a vast grotto it is simple and profound, dark and light –
With its hospitable court, ample tribune, and hushed altar
Standing in the distance as though it were a ship afloat.
The Armenian Church I see with my eyes closed.
I breathe and hear it through the clouds of incense
Which rise towards the feet of the Infant Jesus,
And through the fervent prayers vibrating its walls.
The Armenian Church is the mighty fortress of my forefather’s faith.
Raised by them from the earth stone by stone,
And descended from heaven, a dewdrop and a cloud at a time.
In it they unfolded themselves peacefully and humbly.
The Armenian Church is a great embroidered tapestry
Behind which the Lord descends into the chalice, and
Before which all my people stand with bowed heads
To commune with the past through life-giving bread and wine.
The Armenian Church is a peaceful haven across turbulent seas.
It is fire and light in the cold of night;
It is shady forest in the scorching midday sun
Where lilies bloom by the River of Hymns.
The Armenian Church, beneath every stone in its floor.
Holds a secret passage leading up to Heaven.
The Armenian Church is the shining armor of Armenia’s soul and body.
Her crosses rise to protect her;
Her bells ring forth and her song is always Victory.
Arthur Ipek is a graduate of Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School and is currently a student at the Diocese’s Khrimian Lyceum. He is volunteering this month in the Zohrab Center. Arthur will start high school in the fall.
By Vahan Tekeyan
The Armenian Church is the birthplace of my soul.
Like a vast grotto it is simple and profound, dark and light –
With its hospitable court, ample tribune, and hushed altar
Standing in the distance as though it were a ship afloat.
The Armenian Church I see with my eyes closed.
I breathe and hear it through the clouds of incense
Which rise towards the feet of the Infant Jesus,
And through the fervent prayers vibrating its walls.
The Armenian Church is the mighty fortress of my forefather’s faith.
Raised by them from the earth stone by stone,
And descended from heaven, a dewdrop and a cloud at a time.
In it they unfolded themselves peacefully and humbly.
The Armenian Church is a great embroidered tapestry
Behind which the Lord descends into the chalice, and
Before which all my people stand with bowed heads
To commune with the past through life-giving bread and wine.
The Armenian Church is a peaceful haven across turbulent seas.
It is fire and light in the cold of night;
It is shady forest in the scorching midday sun
Where lilies bloom by the River of Hymns.
The Armenian Church, beneath every stone in its floor.
Holds a secret passage leading up to Heaven.
The Armenian Church is the shining armor of Armenia’s soul and body.
Her crosses rise to protect her;
Her bells ring forth and her song is always Victory.
Arthur Ipek is a graduate of Holy Martyrs Armenian Day School and is currently a student at the Diocese’s Khrimian Lyceum. He is volunteering this month in the Zohrab Center. Arthur will start high school in the fall.
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