A Prayer for Help
1 Listen to me, Lord, and answer me,
for I am helpless and weak.
2 Save me from death, because I am loyal to you;
save me, for I am your servant and I trust in you.
3 You are my God, so be merciful to me;
I pray to you all day long.
4 Make your servant glad, O Lord,
because my prayers go up to you.
5 You are good to us and forgiving,
full of constant love for all who pray to you.
6 Listen, Lord, to my prayer;
hear my cries for help.
7 I call to you in times of trouble,
because you answer my prayers.
8 There is no god like you, O Lord,
not one has done what you have done.
9 All the nations that you have created
will come and bow down to you;
they will praise your greatness.
10 You are mighty and do wonderful things;
you alone are God.
11 Teach me, Lord, what you want me to do,
and I will obey you faithfully;
teach me to serve you with complete devotion.
12 I will praise you with all my heart, O Lord my God;
I will proclaim your greatness forever.
13 How great is your constant love for me!
You have saved me from the grave itself.
14 Proud people are coming against me, O God;
a cruel gang is trying to kill me—
people who pay no attention to you.
15 But you, O Lord, are a merciful and loving God,
always patient, always kind and faithful.
16 Turn to me and have mercy on me;
strengthen me and save me,
because I serve you just as my mother did.
17 Show me proof of your goodness, Lord;
those who hate me will be ashamed
when they see that you have given me comfort and help.
Mätu ta Ŋgaopa rota
1 Nyeri ma, OPI, ago mizatadri maro,
tana ma ati'ba ro ago lemeri'ba ro.
2 Mipa adri maro, tana ma orivoya taoro be miri;
mipa ma ruindu'ba miro se koyi ta be miya ono.
3 Mi orivoya Lu maro, yauni be märi;
tana ma mätu oye miri kituzwi.
4 Mi'ba ruindu'ba miro yai'dwesi, Äye Opi,
tana mätu maro ka oyi mire.
5 Mi orivoya kado ago nya ugu 'die'be taenji ta,
ago mi twi ŋgalu 'duro be vona se cini kabe mätu oye miri ri.
6 Nyeri, mätu maro, OPI,
nyeri liyi maro ta ŋgaopa rota ono.
7 Ma mi uzi tu rritiro si,
tana nya mätu maro tadrina ozana ni.
8 Lu aza i'do oso mi ronye, Äye Opi,
aza alona ye tase miyebe ko.
9 Tu'dei cini se mi'babe
ikyinayi 'da ago ändinayi 'da vuru mikandra Äye OPI;
ànya räṛunayi 'desipara miro 'da.
10 Mi orivoya mbaraekye ago nya ni talaroro oye;
mi orivoya toto ni Lu yi.
11 Nyemba ma, OPI, tase milebe märi oyene ya,
'dooko mari robe taŋgye miro voro;
ago nyemba ma mi orone.
12 Märäṛuna mi 'da ya cini maro si, Äye Opi Lu maro;
mapena a'do'desi miro tana 'da äduako.
13 Ŋgalu miro orivoya 'duro märi!
Mipa ma teni oyivoya 'budri ya.
14 Lidri driuŋgyi'bà kayi eziikyii kyila be mädri Äye Lu;
lowa lidri siomba'bai ro ro kayi ojo ma ufune,
ago ànya eriyi ta miro ko.
15 Oko, Äye Opi, mi orivoya Lu yauni amba be ago ŋgalu be yi,
ondoalo yaiŋgyi be, ago ŋgalu amba be ndi ta 'diri be.
16 Nyezami mare ago nya'do yauni be märi;
nyotomba ma ruindu'ba miro,
ago mipa ma ŋgwa ruindu'ba tokoro miro ro.
17 Nyaka'da takado miro märi OPI;
ànya se yana kosobe malomvo iyi kondreyi robe
ago ka'do robe driupiro tana mipa ma te ago nyi'dwe ma te.