Shell Programming and Scripting

To simplify my blathering it comes down to this:

Works:

Code:

$ echo "test1; test2"

Does not work:

Code:

$ awk 'END{system("echo test1; test2")}' bla
test1
sh: test2: command not found

Any ideas? As said, escaping and trying single quotes etc. didn't help so far.

Update:
Sorry guys, maybe I am not able to see the wood for the trees at the moment ...
Escaping worked for this case easily:

Code:

$ awk 'END{system("echo \"test1; test2\"")}' bla
test1; test2

I am currently trying to figure that out in a garbled sprintf() with lots of these. I think I am done more or less. Thanks all for trying to help. As often, the problems sits in front of the computer
I have to enclose every semicolon like a=aaa"\;\"b=bbb to make it work.