Translation from Score

Contents

In the Georgian language, "Mtsyri" means a "non-serving monk", something like a

novice. Wrenched from his family by war, a child of the mountains escaped and
accidentally entered into a monastery, where he remained until adolescence. But the
memory of his homeland haunted him and his persistent ambition was to return to his
own home. On a stormy autumn night, he fled the monastery to head home. However, he
strayed from the path in the forest(1) and an encounter and fight with a panther
weakened him (2). The wounded novice lost consciousness. Only three days later did
they find him and return him to the monastery, where he died.

{We could add some explanations below from the footnote numbers added to the text
above.}

(1) The novice strayed from the path because of his encounter at a distance with a
Georgian woman who he found intoxicatingly beautiful.

(2) Delirious after the fight with the panther, he believed he was floating in a
stream where he heard a fish sing to him.

Libretto

My dear child, stay here with me. In the water is a free life, that is cold and is
calm. I will call my sisters. We are dancing around, cheering up your misty gaze
and your tired spirit. Sleep, your bed is soft, your covers are transparent ... A
year will pass, centuries will pass with the sound of wonderful words. Oh, my
darling! I cannot hide that I love you. I love you like a free stream... love you
like life itself... love you like life itself...

Дитя мое, отанься здесь со мной, в воде привольное житье и холод, и покой. Я созову
моих сестер. мы пляской круговой развеселим туманный взор и дух усталый твой. усни!
постель твоя мягка, прозрачен твой покров. Пройдут года, пройдут века подговор
чудных слов. О, милый мой! Не утаю что я тебя люблю, люблю как вольную струю, люблю
как жизнь мою, люблю, как жизнь мою...

Ditya moye, otan'sya zdes' so mnoy, v vode privol'noye zhit'ye i kholod, i pokoy.
YA sozovu moikh sester. my plyaskoy krugovoy razveselim tumannyy vzor i dukh
ustalyy tvoy. usni! postel' tvoya myagka, prozrachen tvoy pokrov. Proydut goda,
proydut veka podgovor chudnykh slov. O, milyy moy! Ne utayu chto ya tebya lyublyu,
lyublyu kak vol'nuyu struyu, lyublyu kak zhizn' moyu, lyublyu, kak zhizn' moyu...

Mein liebes Kind o bleibe doch bei mir; es lebt sich frei im Wasser hier, das
ruhig, kühl and lind. Ich rufe meiner Schwestern schar die tanzend dich umkreist;
sie küss dein trubes Auge klar und weckt den müden Geist. Schlaf in; dein Lager ist
so weich, dein Deckbett leichter Schaum... Jahrhunderte einan der gleich, Vergehen
dir wie ein Traum. O trauter Schatz, ich bin dir gut und liebe dich so sehr, wie
ich die klare, freie Flus, wie es Leben, wohl noch mehr, wie es Leben, wohl noch
mehr...