My Slave Azerbaijan
by Almas Ildirim (1907-1952)

Where are you,
Who gave me birth among flowers,
Who made my dough with tears,
Who sang, "Lullaby, my baby" in my cradle?
Azerbaijan-my ill-fated mother, ahh
I have been longing for you for years, ahh

If the wind takes my greetings,
Passing it from Agri to Alagoz1
And delivering my loud voice to the blue Caspian,
I wish the Caspian would storm and break its chain, ahh!
And order this idiocy to be stopped, ahh!

Oh, to receive news from my Mughan and Mil 2
From my beloved Baku-my oil-smelling flower,
Who said I've stopped calling your name?
Azerbaijan, my land with no equal, ahh!
The love and grief inside me will never die, ahh!
I made you the only Kaaba3 in my heart,
Why do I need to live in a strange country without you?
Why do I need God or religion without you?
Azerbaijan, you are my crown, you are my throne, ahh!
Won't my blind fate wake up, ahh?!

1 Agri and Alagoz are mountains in Azerbaijan

2 Mughan and Mil are plains in Azerbaijan.

3 The black sacred shrine at Mecca towards which believers turn while praying.

Translated by Aytan Aliyeva


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