Mer Hayrenik
"Mer Hayrenik" is the national anthem of Armenia. Barsegh Kanachyan composed the music, while the lyrics were authored by Mikayel Nalbandian. First adopted in 1918 as the anthem of the short-lived First Republic of Armenia, it was subsequently banned after the country was invaded and incorporated into the Soviet Union. Following the dissolution of the USSR and the restoration of sovereignty in 1991, the song was re-adopted as the national anthem of the newly independent state, albeit with slightly modified lyrics.
History
Composition and first republic (until 1920)
The lyrics of Mer Hayrenik were derived from The Song of an Italian Girl, a poem written by Mikael Nalbandian in 1861., it is more well known by its incipit, Mer Hayrenik. In the early 20th century, the music was composed by Barsegh Kanachyan. Subsequently, both the lyrics and music were adopted as the national anthem of the First Republic of Armenia, which briefly existed from 1918 to 1920.Soviet era (1920–1991)
The Red Army invaded Armenia in November 1920, in spite of the Treaty of Sèvres – which granted the country international recognition as a sovereign state – having been signed only three months earlier. In 1922, it was absorbed into the Transcaucasian Socialist Federative Soviet Republic, together with Azerbaijan and Georgia, and the TSFSR subsequently became part of the Soviet Union at the end of that same year. As an unmistakable symbol of Armenian nationalism, Mer Hayrenik was outlawed by the Bolshevik authorities. In its place, the Anthem of the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic was utilized from 1944 onwards. Because of this, Mer Hayrenik took on a new status as a protest song against Soviet rule during this time.Restoration of sovereignty and beyond (1991–present)
Mer Hayrenik was reinstated as Armenia's national anthem on 1 July 1991 by the constituent republic's Supreme Soviet. The lyrics are not identical to the 1918 version, however, because several of the words have been modified. As an intrinsic element of civic education in Armenia, the anthem is one of several national symbols which feature prominently in the classrooms of the country's schools. By dignifying the song in this manner, teachers reckon that this "encourage students to sing the national anthem every day".A debate of the national anthem was a question in the Armenian Parliament in 2006 and 2019. The new government had called for the restoration of the Soviet era anthem with newer lyrics in its place.
Lyrics
Current text
Note that the last two lines in each verse are repeated.| Original Armenian | Romanisation | IPA transcription | English translation |
Որ ապրել է դարեդար Յուր որդիքը արդ կանչում են Ազատ, անկախ Հայաստան։ Ահա եղբայր քեզ մի դրոշ, Որ իմ ձեռքով գործեցի Գիշերները ես քուն չեղայ, Արտասուքով լվացի։ Նայիր նրան՝ երեք գոյնով, Նուիրական մեր նշան Թող փողփողի թշնամու դեմ Թող միշտ պանծայ Հայաստան։ Ամենայն տեղ մահը մի է Մարդ մի անգամ պիտ մեռնի, Բայց երանի՝ որ յուրր ազգի Ազատության կը զոհվի։ | Vor aprel e daredar Jur vordikhy ard kančhum en Azat, ankax Hajastan. Aha jeɣbajr khez mi droš, Vor im ʒeřkhov gorcechi Gišernery jes khun čheɣaj, Artasukhov lvachi. Najir nran jerekh gujnov, Nvirakan meř nšan Thoɣ phoɣphoɣi thšnamu dem Thoɣ mišt panca Hajastan. Amenajn teɣ mahy mi e Mard mi angam pit meřni, Bajch jerani, vor jur azgi Azatuthjan kzohvi. | That has for centuries lived, Is now summoning its sons To the free, independent Armenia. Here is a flag for you, my brother, That I have sewn by hand Over the sleepless nights, And bathed in my tears. Look at it, tricolored, A valuable symbol for us. Let it shine against the enemy. Let you, Armenia, be glorious forever. Death is the same everywhere, A man dies but once, Blessed is the one that dies For the freedom of his nation. |
Original text
Mer Hayrenik is based on the first, third, fourth and sixth stanzas of the original poem The Song of an Italian Girl.| Anthem text in Armenian | English translation | Poem text in Armenian |
Որ ապրել է դարէ դար Յուր որդիքը արդ կանչում է Ազատ, անկախ Հայաստան։ Ահա եղբայր քեզ մի դրոշ, Որ իմ ձեռքով գործեցի Գիշերները ես քուն չեղա, Արտասուքով լվացի։ Նայիր նրան երեք գույնով, Նվիրական մեկ նշան Թող փողփողի թշնամու դեմ Թող միշտ պանծա Հայաստան։ Ամենայն տեղ մահը մի է Մարդ մի անգամ պիտ' մեռնի, Բայց երանի՝ որ յուր ազգի Ազատության կզոհվի։ | That has for centuries lived, Is now summoning its sons To the free, independent Armenia. Here is a flag for you, my brother, That I have sewn with my own hands Over the sleepless nights, And rinsed it with my tears. Look at it, tricolored, A valuable symbol for us. Let it shine towards the ignorant, Let you, Armenia, be glorious forever. Death is the same everywhere, A man dies but once, Blessed is the one that dies For the freedom of his nation. | Մեր թշնամուց ոտնակոխ, Իւր որդիքը արդ կանչում է Հանել իւր վրէժ, քէն ու ոխ: Ահա՛, եղբայր, քեզ մի դրoշ, Որ իմ ձեռքով գործեցի, Գիշերները ես քուն չեղայ, Արտասուքով լուացի։ Նայի՛ր նորան, երեք գոյնով, Նուիրական մեր նշան, Թո՛ղ փողփողի թշնամու դէմ, Թո՛ղ կործանուի Աւստրիան: Ամենայն տեղ մահը մի է, Մարդ մի անգամ պիտ մեռնի. Բայց երանի՜, որ իւր ազգի Ազատութեան կը զոհուի: |