(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.
Ombara mai tja okuhepa ku Ndjambi mena rondoṋeno
Epsalme ra David.
1 Muhona nga tangwe,
eye omuyame wandje.
Eye me ndji hongo okurwa,
nu me ndji rongerisire ovita.
2 Eye omasa nomaundiro wandje,
otjiṱunga tjandje nomukuture wandje;
eye omutjevere wandje mu mbi unda,
eye u wisa oviwaṋa kehi yandje.
3 Muhona, omundu omukwatjike
kutja mo rikendere ye,
nomuatje womundu kutja mo ningi
ko na tja na ye?
4 Omundu wa sana nomasuvaneno,
omayuva womuinyo we ye ri otja
otjizire tji tji kapita.
5 Raurira omayuru woye pehi,
Muhona, nu heruka;
ṱuna kozondundu kutja ze twimise omuise!
6 Tjenisa otutjeno twombura u pize
ovanavita, yaha oviku vyoye
nu u ve rambe ve tupuke.
7 Roporora okuoko kwoye okuza kombanda,
ndji nana momeva omakoto u ndji yame;
ndji kutura kouvara wovandu wozonganda
8 mbe ha hungire ouatjiri,
nu mbe yana amave kora ovizeze.
9 Ami me ku imburire eimburiro epe, Ndjambi;
me ku imburire ame
nyanda otjiharpe kondjozikiro yoye.
10 Ove u yandja outoṋi kozombara,
nu u yama omukarere woye David.
11 Ndji yama kovanavita na ami ovindandi,
nu u ndji kuture kouvara
wovandu wozonganda,
mbe ha hungire ouatjiri,
nu mbe yana amave kora ovizeze.
12 Ovanatje vetu ovazandu moumutanda
wawo ngave kare otja
omiti mbya hapa okurira omire.
Ovanatje vetu ovakazona ngave kare
otja ozongunḓe,
nḓa sembama nu nḓa hongwa nawa
okuhareka na zo ondjuwo youhona.
13 Ovipwikiro vyetu ngavi urisiwe
novihape ovingi ngamwa avihe;
otupanda tozonḓu zetu ngatu
takavare momahi womaryo,
tu rire omayovi nomayovi.
14 Ozongombe zetu ngaze kwate
ozondana ozengi nokuhinokuhukura
poo okupandjara.
Amu kara ondjuriro yombamisiro
momivanda vyetu.
15 Otjiṋingandu otjiwaṋa tji tji ri nai;
otjiṋingandu otjiwaṋa tji tji na
Ndjambi, eye ngu ri Muhona!
