Harry Terhanian.com Wisdom from the son of Armenia.

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  • koh sheenogheen ohr-giahnkuh chouree nehmahn yehrgahree

    (Addressing a water fountain basin built by a shepherder on a mountain side to catch the water from a natural spring)
    May he who built this basin (for spring water) live long life extended like the incessant flow of water.

    There is a beautiful poem by Hovhaness Toumanian that illustrates this proverbial good wish (pari maghthank).

    sahree lahncheen, jahyree dahg
    chour ehr pughoum sahrnohrag
    ou tzuhvehlov khohderoum,
    eezour jaheej ehr tahrnoum

    On the side of a mountain, under a rock
    a pristine spring flowed round the clock
    It ran swiftly through the grass
    becoming soon a swamp morass

    nuhrah ahrchev mee khor koush
    sheenetz hohveevuhn ou ahnoush
    khagh ahsehlov nah dhahrahv,
    chouretz hohsuh eer dzahrav

    Sweet- hearted shepherder built with care
    a basin for spring water in the open air
    Singing sweetly the water he ported
    Quenched the thirst of his herd transported

    bahkhrahn ahntzav ehn sahreetz
    shokeetz hahnadz chohr lehzoun
    gousht-gousht khuhmehtz aghpouyreetz
    ahbah nahyeetz nah hehrouhn

    A Goat herder passed that mountain fresh
    Whose tongue was scorched to dry flesh
    he drank and drank from the waters of spring
    And espied another coming to drink

    ahbvoruhn yehgahv dohkaghez
    sahrun aghpioureen vohr hahsahv
    kuhlkharguhn ahrahv ou chohketz
    khuhmetz, seerduh hohvatzahv

    The traveler arrived red with heat
    But when he reached the spring water sweet
    He took off his hat and bowed his head
    Drank the cool water ’til his thirst was fed

    ou duhvahv eer ohrnahnkuh
    ahntzvor mahrtuh ehn pahreen
    “Koh seenoghee ohr-giankuh
    churee nuhmahn yehrgahree…”

    He gave his blessing
    that virtuous traveler
    “To your maker many days of life
    may they flow like water from the spring.”

    There is an Armenian proverb that says (yehrp chour ehs khuhmoum, mee mohrahnah aghpiouruh bahdrahssogheen)
    when you drink water don’t forget the one who made the fountain (of spring water).

    Published on August 25, 2007 · Filed under: , Hovhaness Toumanian;
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