Lyrics
Die Stem van Suid-Afrika | The Call of South Africa | Literal translation from Afrikaans |
First verse | ||
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Uit die blou van onse hemel, | Ringing out from our blue heavens, | From the blue of our heaven |
Uit die diepte van ons see, | From our deep seas breaking round, | From the depths of our sea, |
Oor ons ewige gebergtes | Over everlasting mountains, | Over our eternal mountain ranges |
Waar die kranse antwoord gee. | Where the echoing crags resound, | Where the cliffs give answer |
Deur ons vêr verlate vlaktes | From our plains where creaking wagons, | Through our far-deserted plains |
Met die kreun van ossewa. | Cut their trails into the earth, | With the groan of ox-wagon |
Ruis die stem van ons geliefde, | Calls the spirit of our country, | Rises the voice of our beloved, |
Van ons land Suid-Afrika. | Of the land that gave us birth. | Of our country South Africa |
Ons sal antwoord op jou roepstem, | At thy call we shall not falter, | We will answer to your calling, |
Ons sal offer wat jy vra: | Firm and steadfast we shall stand, | We will offer what you ask |
Ons sal lewe, ons sal sterwe, | At thy will to live or perish, | We will live, we will die |
Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika. | O South Africa, dear land. | We for Thee, South Africa |
Second verse | ||
In die murg van ons gebeente, | In our body and our spirit, | In the marrow of our bones |
in ons hart en siel en gees, | In our inmost heart held fast; | In our heart and soul and spirit |
In ons roem op ons verlede, | In the promise of our future, | In the glory of our past |
In ons hoop op wat sal wees. | And the glory of our past; | In our hope of what will be |
In ons wil en werk en wandel, | In our will, our work, our striving, | In our will and work and wander, |
Van ons wieg tot aan ons graf. | From the cradle to the grave- | From our crib to our grave |
Deel geen ander land ons liefde, | There's no land that shares our loving, | Share no other land our love, |
Trek geen ander trou ons af. | And no bond that can enslave. | No other loyalty can sway us. |
Vaderland, ons sal die adel, | Thou hast borne us and we know thee, | Fatherland! We will bear the nobility |
Van jou naam met ere dra: | May our deeds to all proclaim | Of your name with honour: |
Waar en trou as Afrikaners, | Our enduring love and service | Dedicated and true as Afrikaners, |
Kinders van Suid-Afrika. | To thy honour and thy name. | Children of South Africa |
Third verse | ||
In die songloed van ons somer, | In the golden warmth of summer, | In the sunglow of our summer, |
in ons winternag se kou, | In the chill of winter's air, | In our winter night's cold |
In die lente van ons liefde, | In the surging life of springtime, | In the spring of our love, |
in die lanfer van ons rou. | In the autumn of despair; | In the autumn of our sorrow |
By die klink van huw'liksklokkies, | When the wedding bells are chiming, | At the sound of wedding bells, |
by die kluit-klap op die kis. | Or when those we love do depart, | At the stonefall on the coffin. |
Streel jou stem ons nooit verniet nie, | Thou dost know us for thy children | Soothes your voice us never in vain, |
Weet jy waar jou kinders is. | And dost take us to thy heart | You know where your children are. |
Op jou roep sê ons nooit née nie, | Loudly peals the answering chorus; | At your call we never say no, |
Sê ons altyd, altyd ja: | We are thine, and we shall stand, | We always, always say yes: |
Om te lewe, om te sterwe - | Be it life or death, to answer | To live, to die - |
Ja, ons kom, Suid-Afrika. | To thy call, beloved land. | Yes, we come South Africa |
Fourth verse | ||
Op U Almag vas vertrouend | In thy power, Almighty, trusting, | On your almight steadfast entrusted |
het ons vadere gebou: | Did our fathers build of old; | Had our fathers built: |
Skenk ook ons die krag, o Here! | Strengthen then, O Lord, their children | Give to us also the strength, o Lord! |
Om te handhaaf en te hou. | To defend, to love, to hold- | To sustain and to preserve. |
Dat die erwe van ons vadere | That the heritage they gave us | That the heritage of our fathers |
Vir ons kinders erwe bly: | For our children yet may be; | For our children heritage remain |
Knegte van die Allerhoogste, | Bondsmen only to the Highest | Servants of the almighty, |
Teen die hele wêreld vry. | And before the whole world free. | Against the whole world free. |
Soos ons vadere vertrou het, | As our fathers trusted humbly, | As our fathers trusted, |
Leer ook ons vertrou, o Heer: | Teach us, Lord to trust Thee still; | Teach us also to trust, o Lord: |
Met ons land en met ons nasie | Guard our land and guide our people | With our land and with our nation |
Sal dit wel wees, God regeer. | In Thy way to do Thy will. | It will be well, God reigns. |
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