Yak tebe ne liubyty, Kyieve mii!

"Yak tebe ne liubyty, Kyieve mii!" (Ukrainian: Як тебе не любити, Києве мій!, lit. 'How can I not love you, Kyiv of mine!') is a lyrical song written by Kyiv composer Ihor Shamo with lyrics by poet Dmytro Lutsenko [uk]. At first the song was performed in 1962 in duet by Yuriy Gulyayev and Kostiantyn Ohnievyi [uk] who at that time performed at Kyiv Opera Theatre.

Commemorative coin with a face of Dmytro Lutsenko and name of his poem

Memorial plaque of Ihor Shamo in Kyiv with his notes to the song

After over half a century later, in 2014 the song became official anthem of Kyiv city.^[1]

Rough translation

The green sea is playing, A quiet day is fading away, So dear have they become for me, the sloping banks of Dnipro. Where branches are swaying of amorous dreams... How can one not love you, Kyiv, my dear! Into my eyes the cannas are gazing, I will pour my heart into them. Let them tell to my beloved one, How I faithfully love her. Now, I will dream and live On the wings of my hopes... How can one not love you, Kyiv, my dear! My weary city is falling in a peaceful and gentle sleep. There, as a necklace, lights Have bloomed over the Dnieper. The velvet of late afternoons Surfs over as euphoria. How can one not love you, Kyiv, my dear!

Грає море зелене, Тихий день догора. Дорогими для мене Стали схили Дніпра, Де колишуться віти Закоханих мрій... Як тебе не любити, Києве мій! В очі дивляться канни, Серце в них переллю. Хай розкажуть коханій, Як я вірно люблю. Буду мріяти й жити На крилах надій... Як тебе не любити, Києве мій! Спить натомлене місто Мирним, лагідним сном. Ген вогні, як намисто, Розцвіли над Дніпром. Вечорів оксамити, Мов щастя прибій... Як тебе не любити, Києве мій!