Pir Sultan Abdal was an alevi poet (ministrel). Alevis are members of one of the two islamic sects (alevis and sunnis) in Turkey. In Pir Sultan Abdal’s lifetime there was a dispute between the Ottoman management and the alevi community. Pir Sultan Abdal was a dedicated and ardent supporter of the alevi sect.
Hızır Paşa was Pir Sultan Abdal’s student. Later, he became the governor of Sivas, Pir Sultan Abdal’s city. It is said that Hızır Paşa put Pir Sultan Abdal into prison and then he hanged him.
The lyrics of this “deyiş” (songs sang by Turkish ministrels) express Pir Sultan Abdal’s reproach to Hızır Paşa, who put him into prison and kept him away from his beloved ones. There are some symbolic expressions and the style is rather native which makes it a bit difficult for foreigners to understand.
Kul olayım kalem tutan ellere = I become the slave of the ones who hold a pen (I am grateful for enlightened, wise, educated people)
Katip arzuhalim yaz yare böyle = Oh scribe, write about my wishes to my love in this way.
Şekerler ezeyim şirin dillere = I grind sweets for the lovely tongues (who speak nicely)
Katip arzuhalim yaz yare böyle
Güzelim ey bir tanem ey gül yüzlüm ey = My beautiful (darling), my unique one, my rose-faced (darling). (This line is frequently seen in many other folk songs in Turkish. Here “ey” is both a way of addressing the darling and a comlement for the tune)
Şekerler ezeyim şirin dillere
Katip arzuhalim yaz yare böyle
Güzelim ey bir tanem ey gül yüzlüm ey
Sıvas ellerinde sazım çalınır = My saz is played in the province of Sivas. (the saz is a Turkish musical instrument. “el = il”. “il” roughly means province, county, region.)
Çamlıbeller bölük bölük bölünür = Çamlıbel (mountains) are divided into pieces. (Çamlıbel Mountains are a chain of mountains in Sivas. This line must be said by him to express his severe feelings of unhappiness, because it is common in Turkish language to use “parçalanmak, bölük bölük olmak, kırılmak, delinmek, etc. to express negative feelings.)
Yardan ayrılmışam bağrım delinir = I got separated from my love and my chest is (being) pierced. (My heart is full of pain)
Katip arzuhalim yaz yare böyle
Güzelim ey bir tanem ey gül yüzlüm ey
Yardan ayrılmışam bağrım delinir
Katip arzuhalim yaz yare böyle
Güzelim ey bir tanem ey gül yüzlüm ey
Pir Sultan Abdal'ım ey Hızır Paşa = I am Pir Sultan Abdal, Oh, Hızır Paşa!
Yazılan geliyor sağ olan başa = What is written (the destiny) is sure to experience/come true.
Beni hasret koydun kavim kardaşa = You have left me in longing for my kinsmen and brothers/sisters.
Katip arzuhalim yaz yare böyle
Güzelim ey bir tanem ey gül yüzlüm ey
Beni hasret koydun kavim kardaşa
Katip arzuhalim yaz yare böyle
Güzelim ey bir tanem ey gül yüzlüm ey