Syriac Poems

Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum

"Aḥe rḥime oromoye genso shbiḥo d othuroye
aḥeb shubḥe umthonoye ʿafeq neṣḥone mothoye
ʿEhad l neṣḥonayn qadmoye ʿehad l iqorayn nahroye
w dilan malke othuroye wa l yulfonayn d beth-urhoye
ʿEhad l iqor suryoyutho wa l gaborayn da mshamhwotho
d eshtamah baynoth emwotho b malfonutho wa b rabyutho"

English

"My dear Aramean brothers of the noble Assyrian race
Love the national achievements, embrace the country's honor
Remember our former glorious name, remember our Mesopotamian respectfully
Remember our Assyrian kings, and our educational institutions in Urhoy
Remember the respect of Syriacism, and our famous heroes
Who became well-known in the world in teaching and greatness"


Syriac Orthodox Bishop Philoxenos Yuhanon Dolabani 

"Athliṭe" ("Heroes")

"Write on my tombstone
This is the statue raised to victory and proud of honor
Let Assyria rejoice and young people everywhere shout
To those in the Khabur and Adur shall see
That this is the martyr lying in the arms of Assyria 
To Mar Shemun, truth and perfection hero
The heroic Mar Shemun rest here
May his legs evoke awe and tears
of all passers
To those in the Khabur and Adur shall see
That this is the martyr lying in the arms of Assyria 
May my bones rest in my grave site
When our mother Assyria experience their rescue
Let them decorate around my grave
with free and dignity countries
with Assyrian troops and with enlightened priests"


"Ne’math motho" ("The nation's melancholy song")

"My heart is burning for the nation's melancholy song
For the Assyrian plains are waiting for us
Let us march O lion cubs!
And travel to our nation
Mountains, meadows, valleys, plains
And all parts of our country
They are ours, we must not forget it
Forward, forward towards our country"


Malfono Naum Faiq

"Awake son of Assyria, Awake!"

"Awake son of Assyria,
Awake and see the world how enlightened.
The chance is fleeing from us,
And time is running out
Awake son of Assyria, Awake!
In vengeance you will take refuge.
Rise up and band together to strengthen.
And if one does not awake we have lost our chance
Without a purpose, misfortune will befall our land."


"Homeland"

"Did our hearts become of stone
Did our hearts become of iron
Or did our eyes become blind
Let our red blood flow
Let our silent hearts whine
Let the Assyrian youth always say
Oh, are there still any catastrophes which we haven't gone through yet
From the moment that we came to this world
From the womb till our grave we cannot keep our homeland out of our minds
The only thing is desire from the Lord
Is that He will not take away my soul until I have seen you...homeland."