Harry Terhanian.com

Work with the wise, carry a heavy load
But fools you avoid like a poison toad
Be inspired by acts of the pious
Learn what not to do from the impious

With the wise you will never be depraved
With the depraved you will never be saved
By your company you will be known
To be a good man or a mindless clone

If you will to be wise
Never ever tell lies
Nor anyone despise
Nor thievery devise
Nor lust for others’ wives
Nor drink bibulous wines
Nor gamble one time
Nor on meat ever dine

A friend gave my daughter a rabbit sad and sick
Skinny, dull hair, sad eyes, no step, set to die quick
“Daddy, look, my rabbit with its science diet.”
I looked at the denatured grub and stayed quiet.

Grim eyed, droopy ears, the animal was forlorn
Mournful in its cage as if she swallowed a thorn
If only we had knowledge how to save her soul
Revive her appetite to eat greens in a bowl

We had a wild garden growing out of control
Dandelions, plantains, blackberries, holes and mole
That I never mowed or seasoned it with pesticide
My wife didn’t like it but she learned to abide

In spring the dandelions grew amazingly
Yellow flowers opened to the sun gorgeously
I had an intuition something was afoot
When the rabbit twisted its snout to take a look

The diet to die slighted, I opened the cage
Prayed the rabbit go where the greenery pervades
After an hour the weak rabbit sidled out
Kept its head down like a tortoise and moved about

It found a dandelion with juicy green stalk
Clipped it and began to nibble it like a hawk
When one was devoured it went to another
Savoring with zest like a calf on an udder

Watching the rabbit I felt she was my teacher
Conveying by example she served as preacher
After some time it went back to its cage
Jerked its whiskers to and fro peering like a sage

Day after day dandelions aplenty she ate
progressively grew healthy, peppy with new gait
she became playful, naughty and joyfully bold
It was impossible to catch her fast and hold

Her hair began to shine, eyes brightened, she gained weight
She was cute, full-bodied, frisky, ready to mate
Her appetite opened and her taste buds happy
She ate dandelion leaf, stalk and blackberry

One day she dug and burrowed a hole
Went deeper, deeper under the wall
Without a sign she left behind all
That made my kids regretfully bawl

I received a profound education in nutrition
Green living, medicinal herbs, well-being ambition
I respect the mighty dandelion, flower to root
However, science diet I consider an empty suit.

An old man once claimed that he was without fear
Of ghosts, goblins or strange things that might appear
Superstitions of the ignorant, old wives tales
Made up stories to daunt and cause the mind to ail

He boasted to his friends, “Send me anywhere
Where there are evil spirits that might scare
One friend asked, “Can you stay overnight
in a graveyard without deep sleep or fright?”

“Oh sure,” he said without hesitation
“I’ll brave the night with no trepidation.”
That night he stayed in that hoary, dark place
til dawn no apparition, not a trace

“Just see,” he said, “ghosts and ghouls don’t exist
Though I stayed throughout the night in their midst.”
He walked out the graveyard with happy mien
Musing why silly folks fear the unseen

Unnoticed were briars with thorns on the ground
That caught his long cloak, pulled back without sound
Shocked out of his wits as if dragged to death
Imagined evil ghosts and exhaled his last breath

There was a lamb that lived in a garden and shed
She ate green grass and was well fed
One day a wicked wolf entered her world
Grabbed her soft body, but no one heard

The lamb fell on her knees cried and said
I have no strength to oppose you, I’m dead
But before I go please grant me a last wish
Which will give me solace before your death kiss

“I’ve heard from my elders wolves can trumpet so sweet
That the melodies they play and croon are a real treat
Please, trumpet for me a tune that will prepare my eternal rest
That I may go with the sound in my ears and be forever blessed.”

The wolf was flattered, he curved his neck upward, began to howl
Frightful sound that alerted the guard dogs who came with a growl
The dogs bit the wolf who ran away as fast as he could
Across the field, over the hill into the dark thicket and wood.

The wolf circled this way and that lamenting his foolish vanity
“When did a butcher become a trumpeter? What insanity!
If I want to eat a tasty lamb, I shouldn’t be delayed by flattery
But lo is me, I have been outsmarted by the lamb’s chicanery.”

hohruh vohsgorov zahruh seenetz

This saying emphasizes the lack of respect and cruel irony
of a son making a pair of dice out of his dead father’s bones.

gahdounee kahkuh tegh eh uhseen, gaddoun
hoghov shoud dzahdzgetch

buhzdeek khoghehruh guh gaghenk, medzehruh taghahgan guh puhnargehnk

(buhzdeek khoghehruh guh gaghen, medzehruh guh hahrkehn -
Little thieves are hanged and the great ones respected)

khozehruh ahmbhehruh chen naieer

Pigs have thick necks that makes it very hard to see the sky.
They seem only interested with eating, sex and sleep.

Some men may be grossly materialistic, egotistical, and self-interested.
They are interested in the same pleasures enjoyed by pigs. They avoid
the cultivation of spiritual values.

Keep not nasty words in your heart
Forget such speech right from the start
Lest they fire your mouth like hot coals
That will stain your soul and burn all
make you angry and downward fall

All that you hear do not disclose
Nor all you see dare not expose

Cherish traditions that sustain morality
avoid new ones that favor abnormality
Do not untie a knot that is tied
nor a new one seal that is untried

Notice not a woman whose body entices
With makeup, dress, scent, and alluring devices
That divert you from goodness, awaken your lust
Engross in illusions, waste life, turn you to dust

Covet not the wife of another
look upon her like your own mother

Avoid women that whisper much
One’s with shrill voice never touch

The beauty of woman is her good sense
Truthful words and love that she can dispense

Spring blossoms of the almond come out fast
But the fruits take time to mature the last
Mulberry tree flowers blossom slowly
Yet the ripened fruits are eaten quickly

Be not rash to reach conclusions to fast
not based on facts nor wisdom of the past
Ponder events slowly, consider all
Justice served, your fairness will all enthrall

ehsheroun joghovuh yev shounehroun hatchelluh

katchaghuh inchkan tound uhlnee eerah ahmanuh guh godree

The more one is mean, overly strict or abusive with others the more damage they do to their own self.
ohv vor inchkan khist uhlnee inkuh eerahn vad gahnee

The wisdom one should follow is to be strict with oneself and tolerant of others rather than strict with others and tolerant with oneself.

janjuh mee pahn chee, seerduh guh kharnee

A fly is not very important. Yet, it can disturb many people by its
annoying presence. Similarly, one person may upset the mind of many others
by constantly making negative or inappropriate comments and purposely
or inadvertently doing annoying things.

tzouguh kuhloughehn eh hohdee

This is a very interesting proverb that applies to political reality.
A society or organization begins a downward spiral when the leaders become corrupt and
gradually the corruption spreads down through the entire society. This proverb says a
fish begins to stink from the head down. If the leaders of the society are not honest,
their example affects the entire population.

When ordinary citizens hear about the misconduct of their leaders, they use this saying to express their exasperation (or disgust).
“What can you do with these politicians. A fish begins to stink from the head down.”

There was once a very pious woman named Ahzneev (Good or noble). She was a widow. Ahzneev worked very hard but never was able to amass much money. She lived humbly and always prayed that God be kind to her. She was very kind herself. Once she found a bird that had injured its wing and suffered painfully. The bird could not fly due to its injury. Ahzneev adopted the bird and cleaned its wound and covered the cut with a piece of cloth. She made a soft nest with grass and other natural plant material so that the bird could rest in a natural surrounding. Ahzneev read the sacred prayers of Narekgatzi, the renowned Armenian priest who prayed for cure and salvation”

Dearest Lord of Lords, Blessed Son of God Almighty.
The Lamb of Suffering who will free me of misery
I pray to You in my distress bowed in all humility
You are my only hope for grace and sanctity

My body is a mass of disease beyond any hope of cure
I beg you to heal my sore soul with your hand so pure
I cry out to you Lord Jesus Christ in my time of need
I pray in earnest for your blessings and sincerely plead

In this bleak world, but for you, there’s no hope for salvation
Save me Oh Lord from the throes of eternal damnation
You can deliver all your children from sickness and suffering
As well as this little bird whose frail body is aching

She fed the bird everyday and gradually the bird’s wound healed. One day the bird flew away.

After some days the bird came back to Ahzneev. She gave Ahzneev three little seeds which she planted saying prayers of praise for the Lord. They gradually grew into a small trees that bore fruits made of pure gold. The poor woman became very rich. She plucked the fruits and gave praise to God. She used her wealth to serve the poor and help all creatures appreciate God’s goodness.

Ahzneev had a neighbor named Nahkhantz (Jealous). She observed Ahzneev’s activities from the start.
She set a trap and waited patiently until one day the bird was caught.
She inflicted a wound to the bird’s wing and nursed it back to health and let it go. Nahkhantz never prayed to God nor did she act as a believer. She wanted only wealth for her selfish ends. The bird returned and gave her three seeds. Nahkhantz planted the seeds and waited expectantly. The little trees grew and bore fruits which were poisonous scorpions. The scorpions bit the jealous woman and she ran away in fright.

God protects the devout whose hearts are clean
Like the clear, fast waters of a mountain stream

ahstavadz guh bahsbaneh ahnontz voronk mahkour seerd ounehn
eenchbes vuhjeet chour guh hohsee sahree aghpourehn

Life comes and goes like a dream
As straw we flow down its stream
Birth, old age, disease and death
Scared, we gasp for our last breath

Body is the cause of sickness and sin
We must look rather for the truth within
To understand the grim nature of life
We must be free of illusion and strife

A lady kept a chicken in a coop
Polished the metal but fed it no soup
Proud, she had the most shiny chicken wire
But the chicken ignored had to expire

Please the body while ignoring the soul
Like keeping your head buried in a hole
The body is dead but it looks alive
Without sweet love the soul cannot survive

The soul intangible exists for real
Right before death it can still cry and feel
Like a traveler stays in a hotel
For only a short time and says farewell

Wake up dear friend your death is very near
We dare not waste our time year after year
Love of God will teach us how to love others
In life or death, with love, we’ll be brothers