A Prayer for Help
1 O Lord, my defender, I call to you.
Listen to my cry!
If you do not answer me,
I will be among those who go down to the world of the dead.
2 Hear me when I cry to you for help,
when I lift my hands toward your holy Temple.
3 Do not condemn me with the wicked,
with those who do evil—
those whose words are friendly,
but who have hatred in their hearts.
4 Punish them for what they have done,
for the evil they have committed.
Punish them for all their deeds;
give them what they deserve!
5 They take no notice of what the Lord has done
or of what he has made;
so he will punish them
and destroy them forever.
6 Give praise to the Lord;
he has heard my cry for help.
7 The Lord protects and defends me;
I trust in him.
He gives me help and makes me glad;
I praise him with joyful songs.
8 The Lord protects his people;
he defends and saves his chosen king.
9 Save your people, Lord,
and bless those who are yours.
Be their shepherd,
and take care of them forever.
Alla la maakoyiroo duwaa aniŋ tenturoo
Dawuda la Jabuuroo.
1 Hee Yaawe*, n ka ite le kumandi,
n semberaŋ beroo, kana i tulu faa m ma,
kaatu niŋ i maŋ i danku m ma, m be ke la le ko
moolu mennu taata saayaa dinkoo kono.
2 I lamoyi n kumboo kaŋo la,
niŋ m be maakoyiri ñiniŋo la,
niŋ ŋa m buloolu wulindi ka duwaa
i la buŋ senuŋ baa ñaatiliŋo la.
3 Kana n niŋ moo kuruŋolu koora ñoo la,
kuu jawu kelaalu,
mennu ka kayiroo fo ì daa la ì siiñoolu ye,
wo tumoo konnanteeyaa be ì sondomoolu kono.
4 Ì ye meŋ ke, ì joo a la,
ì la baara jawoolu, ì ye mennu ke.
Ì baarata meŋ na, ì joo a la.
Ì ye meŋ baara, a seyi ì ma.
5 Bayiri ì maŋ ite Yaawe la keroo muta feŋ ti,
waraŋ i ye meŋ daa,
i be ì tumbuŋ na le,
aduŋ i te ì wulindi la kotenke.
6 Tenturoo be Yaawe ye,
kaatu a ye n kumboo kaŋo moyi le,
biriŋ m be maakoyiri ñiniŋo la.
7 Yaawe le mu n semboo ti, aniŋ n na tankaraŋ koteeroo*,
n jikita a la niŋ n sondomoo bee le la.
A ye m maakoyi le, aduŋ n jusulaata baake le.
Wo kamma la, m be a tentu la niŋ suukuwolu le la.
8 Yaawe le mu a la moolu semboo ti,
aduŋ a mu tuukuraŋo niŋ tankadulaa le ti
a la tomboŋ moo ye.
9 Yaawe, i la tomboŋ moolu tankandi,
aduŋ i si neema ì ma.
I si ke ì kantalaa ti,
i ye ì topatoo.
