Soon after the liberation of Bulgaria from the Turkish Yoke (3 March 1878), “the patriarch of Bulgarian literature,” “the national poet” Ivan Vazov wrote the following poem to be learnt by every Bulgarian child as early as he/she starts going to school, in order to make him/her proud of being Bulgarian.

 

 

              ÀÇ ÑÚÌ ÁÚËÃÀÐ×Å

                     Èâàí Âàçîâ

 

            Àç ñúì áúëãàð÷å è ñèëíà

            ìàéêà ìåíå å ðîäèëà.

            Ñ õóáîñò è áëàãà îáèëíà

            å ðîäèíàòà ìè ìèëà.

 

            Àç ñúì áúëãàð÷å. Îáè÷àì

            íàø’òå ïëàíèíè çåëåíè.

            Áúëãàðèí äà ñå íàðè÷àì –

            ïúðâà ðàäîñò å çà ìåíå!

 

            Àç ñúì áúëãàð÷å ñâîáîäíî.

            Â êðàé ñâîáîäåí àç æèâåÿ.

            Âñè÷êî áúëãàðñêî è ðîäíî

            ëþáÿ, òà÷à è ìèëåÿ.

           

Àç ñúì áúëãàð÷å è ðàñíà

            â äíè âåëèêè, â ñëàâíî âðåìå.

            Ñèí ñúì íà çåìÿ ïðåêðàñíà.

            Ñèí ñúì íà þíàøêî ïëåìå.

 

 

 

 

           I AM A BULGARIAN BOY

                     Ivan Vazov

 

            I'm Bulgarian, a son

            Of a strong and mighty mother.

            Beauty like hers has no one.

            She is as rich as no other.

 

            I am a Bulgarian boy.

            I love our mountains green.

            Being Bulgarian is a joy

            Which, to me, is so supreme!

 

            I am free. I am Bulgarian

            And my country resurrected!

            Everything that is Bulgarian

            Is loved, cherished and respected!

           

I'm Bulgarian. I know

            That a glorious time has come.

            In a lovely land I grow,

            I'm a valiant nation's son!