(By David.)
A Prayer for the Nation
1 I praise you, Lord!
You are my mighty rock,
and you teach me
how to fight my battles.
2 You are my friend, my fortress,
where I am safe.
You are my shield,
and you made me the ruler
of our people.
3 Why do we humans mean anything
to you, our Lord?
Why do you care about us?
4 We disappear like a breath;
we last no longer
than a faint shadow.
5 Open the heavens like a curtain
and come down, Lord.
Touch the mountains
and make them send up smoke.
6 Use your lightning as arrows
to scatter my enemies
and make them run away.
7 Reach down from heaven
and set me free.
Save me from the mighty flood
8 of those lying foreigners
who never tell the truth.
9 In praise of you, our God,
I will sing a new song,
while playing my harp.
10 By your power, kings win wars,
and your servant David is saved
from deadly swords.
11 Won't you keep me safe
from those lying foreigners
who never tell the truth?
12 Let's pray that our young sons
will grow like strong plants
and that our daughters
will be as lovely as columns
in the corner of a palace.
13 May our barns be filled
with all kinds of crops.
May our fields be covered
with sheep by the thousands,
14 and every cow have calves.
Don't let our city be captured
or any of us be taken away,
and don't let cries of sorrow
be heard in our streets.
15 Our Lord and our God,
you give these blessings
to all who worship you.
Tankoo niŋ firiŋo duwaa bankoo ye
Dawuda la Jabuuroo.
1 Tentoo be Yaawe* ye, n na semberaŋ beroo,
ate le ye n nindi keloo la,
fo m buloo koyita lewu.
2 Ate le mu m maakoyilaa kendoo ti,
aniŋ n na tatoo.
A mu n ye tata bambandiŋo le ti,
aniŋ n na kiisandirilaa.
A mu n ye tankaraŋ koteeroo* le ti,
n ka bambu ate le kooma.
Ate le ka banku koteŋ moolu noo
ka ì ke n na maroo to.
3 Yaawe, moo mu muŋ ne ti
fo i hakiloo ka bula a la?
Hadamadiŋo mu muŋ ne ti
fo i ka a hati?
4 Moo la baluwo la sutiyaa be le ko,
niiseloo niŋ niijiyo teema,
a ka yeemaŋ ne katabake komeŋ niiniyo.
5 Kooni Yaawe, i la saŋ fatoolu yele,
i ye jii duuma.
Konkoolu maa, ì ye siisii.
6 I la saŋ ŋalasoo ŋalasindi,
i ye i jawoolu janjandi.
I la kalabeñoolu fayi, i ye ì kidindi.
7 I buloo tiliŋ ka bo naŋ santo,
i ye n cansu ka n kiisa jii diinondiŋo kono,
ka m bondi banku koteŋ moolu bulu,
8 wolu mennu ka faniyaalu fo,
ì ka kali faniyaa kaŋ.
9 Hee Alla, m be suukuu kutoo laa la i ye le.
M be a laa la i ye niŋ kooraa le la.
10 Ite le ka nooroo dii mansoolu la,
aduŋ ite le ye Dawuda tankandi,
i la dookuulaa.
11 N tanka jawu la hawusaroo* ma,
i ye m bondi banku koteŋ moolu bulu,
mennu ka faniyaalu fo,
aduŋ ì ka kali faniyaa kaŋ ne.
12 Allamaa ǹ dinkewolu ye ke ì la fondinkeeyaa kono
komeŋ yiri mendiŋolu.
Allamaa ǹ dimmusoolu ye ke
komeŋ samasiŋ ñiimaalu
mennu ka tara mansabuŋo tonkoŋolu la,
ka a muta.
13 Allamaa ǹ na buntuŋolu ye faa siimaŋo siifaa bee la.
Allamaa ǹ na beeyaŋolu ye jiidi wuliwuloolu la,
hani fo wuli taŋolu, ǹ na kenoolu kono.
14 Allamaa ǹ na tuuraalu ye duni jamaalu yoronna.
Allamaa saatewo tata sansaŋo kana teyi,
moo kana taa mutoo kono.
Allamaa maasiiba kumboo kana ke
ǹ na mbeedoolu kaŋ.
15 Seewoo be banku le moolu ye,
wo neemoolu keta mennu ye.
Seewoo be moolu le ye
mennu la Alla mu Yaawe ti.
