Old Serbian writing on a marble pillar stuck at the place in Kosovo where the most pitched battle took place, thus making a lasting mark to descendants and testimony of bravery of the Serbian Prince Lazar and his warriors.

            Words on the marble pillar in Kosovo

 

Oh man

you, who walks on this Serbian land

no matter if you are a newcomer or native,
no matter who you are or what you are,
when you reach this field, by the name of Kosovo,
you will see plenty of bones of the dead,
and with them myself in stone nature,
and me in the shape of a cross,
standing upright in the center of this field.

 

Oh, my dear one,

do not overlook or pass by me,
as though I was something unworthy or hollow,
I beg you, approach me,
and see the words I am bearing,
and you will comprehend the reason,
how and why I am standing here,
because I am telling the truth to you,
no living man could tell you better.
I will tell you all with the truth,

of what had happened.
Somewhere around here there was once a great nobleman,
a world wonder and Serbian ruler,
by the name of Lazar, great prince,
a steady pillar of piety,
fiery mind and the protector of the foreigners,
the feeder of the hungry, gentle for the rough,
the counselor and the keeper,
who loved everything that Christ wanted,
who walked alone by his own will,
and with his numerous knights,
whom he commanded:
good heroes, brave heroes,
heroes both in words and deeds,
who shone like those bright stars,
like ground covered with colored flowers,
dressed in gold and diamonds,
many selected horses with golden saddles,
along with their excellent riders,
noble and glorious.
Like the Shepherds Protector,
he leads wisely his spiritual lambs,
to die in Christ,
and accept the chaplet of suffering,
and take part in the heavenly glory,
like one the whole army marched,
with the great and fine gentleman in front,
with good soul and stone-hard faith,
as if they saw a magnificent palace or feast,

they approached the enemy,
and stepped on a real dragon,
and killed the wild beast and great opponent,
and the always hungry Hades which bolts everything,
called Amurat and his son,
the child of beast and snake,
the young of basilisk and lion,
and many others with them too.
Oh, wonders of God’s faith!
Oh dear friends,

the brave sufferer was captured by unlawful Agareninan hands,
and he accepted the end with dignity,
and became Christ’s sufferer, Great Prince Lazar,
no one other executed him but,
the very hand of the murderer, Amurat’s son.
And all this was over,
in the year of our Lord 6897*,

on the twelfth indiction, on the fifteenth day of June,

on Tuesday, at the sixth of seventh hour
I do not know, God knows.

 

* According to Turkish calendar.

Translated by J.Dj.