TURKISTAN

Turkistan — the gate of this and otherworld»,
Turkistan, the brave Turk’s cradle.
Wonders were born in he place like Turkistan,
Which is a gift from God to the Turks.

In the past they called Turkistan «Turan.»
My brave Turk was borm and raised in Turan.
Turan has had a turbulent fate.
Numerous events have passed over its head.

Turan has a history just like a wind of fire
Which reaches into the sky as a thick blaze.
Turan’s earth and water are also unusual
Leads you toward deep thoughts just like sea.

What about Turan’s endless broad desert?
What about its sea-like lake of unreachable shores?
What about Turan’s creeks which are called rivers
And its flood that overflows the deserts.

Turan has mountains that stretch to the skyу.
White hairs cover up its peaks eternally.
At its chest the wild spring swings
From cool tears that break through the mountain.

There are deserts of yellow sands without any wind
Mute like a grave with no sound forever.
Can there be any living being in this endless desert?
In vast sand angels and genies arise and run wild.
Turan has lakes as large as a sea:
The Aral, the stormy and endless sea.
In the bosom of the sacred Lake Issik
The blue-maned Turk was born.

In the past Jayhun and Seyhun were Oxus and Yaksart
The Turks used to call them «darya» (river).
You would find on the banks of these two rivers
The grave of your glorious grandfather.

Tell me of Turan’s mountain Tiyan-shan.
No mountain can match it.
You may recall the captive brave Turk
While gazing at Han Tengri peak.42
The Tarbagatay that embraced the Balkash3.
Pamir, the belly of the fat earth and Alay.
If no mountain like the esteemed Kazi Kurt had been
How could Noah’s ark have found land in the flood?

Both Turan’s land and its people are different.
Its days that have passed like storms are different.
Afrasyap was the legendary khan [or ruler]
Who reigned over the entire Turan.

For all eternity it is no ordinary place.
If you uncover Turan, you may know its history.
In the past, both Keykhusrav and Alexander
Longed for the esteemed Turan.

Can any region in the world be the equal of Turan?
Can any people in all mankind equal the Turk?
Broad intellect, fervently zealous, sharp imagination—
Can any hero challenge the heroes of Turan?

In mankind, no hero like Genghis Khan be borm
so wise, so thoughtful, with a steel heart.
The mere name of Genghis the lion
Fills a man’s guts with courage.

From Genghis, Chagatay, Oktay, Chochi, and Toli
Were born as wolves like their father.
The two eyes of Genghis that he entrusted
Were the tiger Supitay and the blue-maned Jebe.

Turan has chieftains such as Taraghay
From whom Tamerlane was born like a fireball.
The Tamerlane dispersed fire on the earth
Has passed away like lightning flaming up it.

I’m not praising Turan for nothing.
Turan is known to many without praise.
Only few scholars who can compete with
Ulugh Bek, who was intimate with the sky.

The noble blood is the the worthy Turk’s blood
From that blood Avicenna Abu Ali was born.
His science was once astonishing.
Has anyone like him ever been born on the earth?

Can anyone underestimate the Turks’ music?
When Farabi played his nine-string dombiras
In ninety-nine different tunes, [tell me] who
Wasn’t aroused to shed his tears?
The Turk rolled in Turan just like a blaze.
Has any soul other than Turk been born of fire?
After many other Turks had claimed their own shares
Didn’t the «black hole8e remain for the Kazaks?

Turan become fatherland for lion-hearted people
My Kazak has formed a khanate too.
The evenhanded Qasim Khan of the Kazaks
Has reigned most of Turan’s land.

There can be only a few fair khan like Nazar.
The codes of Esim Khan are suitable to Alash97.
The wise ruler Tevke gathered
His grand assembly on the top of Kol Tobe108

Turan is eternally the land ofthe White Alash.
Outside Turan the Alash heroes never took root.
It was in Turan’s soil that the lion of Alash.
Hero Ablay, at last found peace.

Don’t speak of the steppes as outside of Turan
Turkistan gave birth to the Six Alash.
The hero of heroes, Blue-maned Kene210
Has been caressing the soil of Turan.

Who doesn’t long for his fatherland?
Doesn’t the legendary mustang yearn
For its birthplace? Oh, esteemed Alash,
Turan, if you could know, is your land!

The far-reaching Tiyan-shan, Pamir and Alay.
Have long been awaiting your arrival.
What’s the use of just spreading across the plains
And not following the path of Kene and Abilay?

In the past Jayhun and Seyhun were Oxus and Yaksart.
The Turks used to call them «darya» (river).
Either go to the banks of these two sacred rivers
Or seek the grave of your grandfather?

[Timur Kocaoglu & Mel Kenne]