Solomos: HYMN TO LIBERTY translated by Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling

The Greek National Anthem

Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν κόψι	I KNOW YOU of old
τοῦ σπαθιοῦ τὴν τρομερή,	Oh divinely restored,
σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν ὄψι,	By the light of your eyes
ποὺ μὲ βία μετράει τὴ γῆ.	And the edge of your sword.
2
Ἀπ' τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη	From the graves of our people
τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερά,	Shall your spirit prevail
καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη,	As we greet you again-
χαῖρε, ὦ χαῖρε, Ἐλευθεριά!	Hail, Liberty, Hail!
3
Ἐκεῖ μέσα ἐκατοικοῦσες	Long did you dwell
πικραμένη, ἐντροπαλή,	Amid the peoples that mourn
κ' ἕνα στόμα ἐκαρτεροῦσες,	Awaiting some voice
ἔλα πάλι, νὰ σοῦ πῇ.	That should tell you to return
4
Ἄργειε νἄλθῃ ἐκείνη ἡ μέρα,	Ah, slow broke that day
καὶ ἦταν ὅλα σιωπηλά,	and no man dared call,
γιατὶ τἄσκιαζε ἡ φοβέρα,	For the shadow of tyranny
καὶ τὰ πλάκωνε ἡ σκλαβιά.	Lay over all.
5
Δυστυχής! Παρηγορία	Oh, unfortunate one!
μόνη σοῦ ἔμενε, νὰ λὲς	The only consolation you had
περασμένα μεγαλεῖα,	were the past glories,
καὶ διηγῶντάς τα νὰ κλαῖς.	and remembering them you cried.
6
Καὶ ἀκαρτέρει, καὶ ἀκαρτέρει	Long you have awaited
φιλελεύθερη λαλιά	for a freedom-loving call
ἕνα ἐκτύπαε τ' ἄλλο χέρι	and in despair one hand
ἀπὸ τὴν ἀπελπισιά,	hits the other one.
7
κ' ἔλεες· πότε, ἄ! πότε βγάνω	And you cried:
τὸ κεφάλι ἀπὸ τ 'ς ἐρμιές;	ah! When do I raise my head
καὶ ἀποκρίνοντο ἀπὸ πάνω	in this desolate land?
κλάψες, ἅλυσες, φωνές!	and the answer was chains, cries so sad.
8
Τότ' ἐσήκωνες τὸ βλέμμα	Then you shifted your gaze
μέσ' στὰ κλάϊματα θολό,	tearfully, clouded in haze
καὶ εἰς τὸ ροῦχό σου ἔσταζ' αἷμα,	and on your garment dripped blood
πλῆθος αἷμα Ἑλληνικό.	from your children's tortured hearts.
9
Μὲ τὰ ροῦχα αἱματωμένα	With blood-stained clothes
ξέρω ὅτι ἔβγαινες κρυφά,	I know for a fact
νὰ γυρεύῃς εἰς τὰ ξένα	that you secretly sought help
ἄλλα χέρια δυνατά.	in stronger hands of foreign lands.
10
Μοναχὴ τὸ δρόμο ἐπῆρες,	On your journey you started alone
ἐξανάλθες μοναχή·	and alone you came back
δὲν εἶν' εὔκολες οἱ θύρες,	doors do not easily open
ἐὰν ἡ χρεία τὲς κουρταλῇ.	when you need them so bad.
11
Ἄλλος σοῦ ἔκλαψε εἰς τὰ στήθια,	Someone cried on your breast,
ἀλλ' ἀνάσασι καμμιά·	but no response at its best;
ἄλλος σοῦ ἔταξε βοήθεια,	another promised you help,
καὶ σὲ γέλασε φρικτά!	but he tricked you no less.
12
Ἄλλοι, ὠιμέ! στὴ συφορά σου	Some, allas! in your misfortune rejoice
ὁποὺ ἐχαίροντο πολύ,	and with such a cold poise
σύρε νά βρῃς τὰ παιδιά σου,	"go find your children" said they
σύρε, ἐλέγαν οἱ σκληροί.	as doors were shut in your face.
13
Φεύγει ὀπίσω τὸ ποδάρι,	The foot slips and slides
καὶ ὁλογλήγορο πατεῖ	and in such a haste it steps
ἢ τὴν πέτρα, ἢ τὸ χορτάρι,	on stone, or grass
ποὺ τὴν δόξα σου ἐνθυμεῖ.	reminders of a glorious past.
14
Ταπεινότατη σοῦ γέρνει	The miserable head shamefully leans
ἡ τρισάθλια κεφαλή,	and the image it brings
σὰν φτωχοῦ ποὺ θυροδέρνει,	is of a poor beggar, going door to door
κ' εἶναι βάρος του ἡ ζωή.	with no interest in life any more.
15
Ναί· ἀλλὰ τώρα ἀντιπαλεύει	Yet, behold now the sons
κάθε τέκνο σου μὲ ὁρμή,	with impetuous breath
ποὺ ἀκατάπαυστα γυρεύει	Go forth to the fight
ἢ τὴ νίκη, ἢ τὴ θανή.	seeking freedom or death.
16
Ἀπ' τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη	From the graves of our people
τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερά,	shall the spirit prevail
καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη,	as we greet you again-
χαῖρε, ὦ χαῖρε, Ἐλευθεριά!	Hail, Liberty, Hail!

Solomos Bilingual Anthology : HYMN TO LIBERTY
Διονύσιος Σολωμός - Ὁ Ὕμνος εἰς τὴν Ἐλευθερίαν
Φιλοξενία: Το Χαμομηλάκι