Misak Metsarents (1886-1908) was a Western Armenian neo-romantic poet. This is my translation of “The New Year” from Armenian to English.

The New Year

Tonight, the well-dressed and adorned new year
Waits for the morning light with great zeal;
Spirits forever stole the year
From our embrace the familiar voices of the old one.

The new year’s gift, the bright moonlight
Is draped on all the mountains of the village;
The songs of the old, the cries of the young
echo erratically with strong, discernible timbres.

A series of desires gripping the heart
Shake it fiercely with fiery emotions;
Ignited by these unquenchable emotions,
The burning hearts pound with longing.

In the silence of the night’s final moments
The sounds and illuminations slowly fade;
And wearing the fine linen made of the blue arch
The well-dressed new year enters the decorated world.