The Prayer of an Elderly Person
1 Lord, I have come to you for protection;
never let me be defeated!
2 Because you are righteous, help me and rescue me.
Listen to me and save me!
3 Be my secure shelter
and a strong fortress to protect me;
you are my refuge and defense.
4 My God, rescue me from wicked people,
from the power of cruel and evil people.
5 Sovereign Lord, I put my hope in you;
I have trusted in you since I was young.
6 I have relied on you all my life;
you have protected me since the day I was born.
I will always praise you.
7 My life has been an example to many,
because you have been my strong defender.
8 All day long I praise you
and proclaim your glory.
9 Do not reject me now that I am old;
do not abandon me now that I am feeble.
10 My enemies want to kill me;
they talk and plot against me.
11 They say, “God has abandoned him;
let's go after him and catch him;
there is no one to rescue him.”
12 Don't stay so far away, O God;
my God, hurry to my aid!
13 May those who attack me
be defeated and destroyed.
May those who try to hurt me
be shamed and disgraced.
14 I will always put my hope in you;
I will praise you more and more.
15 I will tell of your goodness;
all day long I will speak of your salvation,
though it is more than I can understand.
16 I will go in the strength of the Lord God;
I will proclaim your goodness, yours alone.
17 You have taught me ever since I was young,
and I still tell of your wonderful acts.
18 Now that I am old and my hair is gray,
do not abandon me, O God!
Be with me while I proclaim your power and might
to all generations to come.
19 Your righteousness, God, reaches the skies.
You have done great things;
there is no one like you.
20 You have sent troubles and suffering on me,
but you will restore my strength;
you will keep me from the grave.
21 You will make me greater than ever;
you will comfort me again.
22 I will indeed praise you with the harp;
I will praise your faithfulness, my God.
On my harp I will play hymns to you,
the Holy One of Israel.
23 I will shout for joy as I play for you;
with my whole being I will sing
because you have saved me.
24 I will speak of your righteousness all day long,
because those who tried to harm me
have been defeated and disgraced.
Keebaa kotoo la duwaa
1 Hee Yaawe*, m bambuta ite le kooma,
kana soŋ ŋa malu muumeeke.
2 N tankandi i la tiliŋo kaŋ, i ye n kanandi.
I tuloo loo n na, i ye n kiisa.
3 Ke n ye semberaŋ beroo ti,
aniŋ tata bambandiŋo, ka n kiisa,
kaatu ite le mu n na tuukuraŋo ti,
aniŋ n na tatoo.
4 Hee Alla, m bondi moo kuruŋolu bulu,
ka bo moo jawoolu niŋ tilimbaloolu la maroo to.
5 Maariyo, n jikoo mu ite le ti.
N dankeneyaata ite Yaawe le la
biriŋ n dindiŋ.
6 N jikita ite le la ka bo n wuluu waatoo la.
Ka bo tuma meŋ m be m baa wuluuñaŋo kono,
i ye n hati le.
M be tu la i jayi la le.
7 N na baluwo keta moo jamaa le ye kawandoo ti,
kaatu ite le mu n na tuukuraŋ bambandiŋo ti.
8 N daa ka tu i jayoo le kaŋ,
aniŋ ka i horoma waati-wo-waati.
9 Kana m bayi i bala n kotooriŋo la.
Kana m bula n semboo bandiŋo la.
10 N jawoolu ka kumoolu fo m ma le,
mennu be n niyo ñini kaŋ,
ì tafawuta n kamma le,
11 ka a fo ko, “Alla ye a bula le.
Ali ŋà a bayindi, ŋà a muta,
bayiri moo te a kanandi noo la.”
12 Hee Alla, kana jamfa n na.
N na Alla, naa tariyaake ka m maakoyi.
13 Allamaa n niyo toorandilaalu ye bula maloo kono,
ì ye kasaara.
Allamaa mennu ka a kata ka m mantoora,
ì ye bula maloo niŋ jutunnayaa kono.
14 Bari nte de, m be n jikoo tu la looriŋ i kaŋ ne,
aduŋ m be jayiroo lafaa la i ye le.
15 M be kali kuu kendoolu seyinkaŋ na le,
i ye mennu ke tiloo muumewo bee,
ka a fo i ye i la moolu kiisa ñaameŋ,
wo kuwolu yaatewo tambita n na londoo la ñaa-wo-ñaa.
16 Kooni Maarii Yaawe, m be i jayi la
i la keroolu la waroo kaŋ ne.
M be ite doroŋ ne la tiliŋo kankulaa la.
17 Hee Alla, i ye n karandi le biriŋ n dindiŋ,
aduŋ ka naa fo saayiŋ na,
n ka i la kaawakuwolu seyinkaŋ ne.
18 Hee Alla, hani n kotooriŋo la,
n kuntiñoo koyita ñaa-wo-ñaa,
kana i bo n to,
fo niŋ ŋa i la waroo niŋ i la semboo seyinkaŋ
jamaani naalaalu ye.
19 Kooni Alla, i la tiliŋo nakita saŋ fatoolu la le.
I ye kaawakuu baalu le ke.
Doo koteŋ te jee komeŋ ite Alla.
20 I ye bataa baa niŋ mantooroo laa n kaŋ ne,
bari i be muru la le i ye m bambandi,
ka m bondi saayaa daa to,
i ye m murundi baluwo to kotenke.
21 I be n na buuñaa lafaa la le,
aniŋ ka n jusulandi kotenke.
22 Kooni Alla, wo to le m be i jayi la
niŋ kooraa la,
kaatu i tilinta le.
M be suukuwo laa la le ka i jayi niŋ kontiŋo la,
ite Banisirayila la Senuŋ Baa.
23 M be suukuwo laa la santo niŋ seewoo le la,
ka i jayi.
N seewoota le,
kaatu i ye n niyo kumakaa le.
24 I ye tiliŋo meŋ yitandi n na,
m be tu la a seyinkaŋ na le,
kaatu i ye moolu bulandi maloo niŋ jutunnayaa kono le,
mennu ye a kata ka m mantoora.
