The Prayer of Russians

Молитва русских
English: The Prayer of Russians
Molitva russkih

anthem of  Russian Empire
Lyrics Vasily Zhukovsky
Music Melody to "God Save the Queen"
Adopted 1816
Relinquished 1833

"The Prayer of Russians" (Russian: Молитва русских, tr. Molitva russkih, IPA: [mɐˈlʲitvə ˈruskʲɪx]) was a song used as the national anthem of Imperial Russia from 1816 to 1833.

After defeating the First French Empire, Tsar Alexander I of Russia recommended a national anthem for Russia. The lyrics were written by Vasily Zhukovsky, and the music of the British anthem "God Save the King" was used.

In 1833, "The Prayer of Russians" was replaced with "God Save the Tsar" (Bozhe, tsarya khrani). The two songs both start with the same words Bozhe, tsarya khrani but differ after that.

Some consider God Save the Tsar Russia's first true national anthem, as both its words and music were Russian. Others say the title belongs to Grom pobedy, razdavaysya!, another popular song of the time, although it never had official status.

Lyrics

Portrait of Alexander I in the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace. Alexander made the song Russia's anthem
RussianPre-1917 OrthographyTransliterationEnglish translation

Боже, Царя храни!
Славному долги дни
Дай на земли!
Гордых смирителю,
Слабых хранителю,
Всех утешителю—
Всё ниспошли!

Боже, Царя храни!
Славному долги дни
Дай на земли!
Гордыхъ смирителю,
Слабыхъ хранителю,
Всѣхъ утѣшителю—
Всё ниспошли!

Bože, carja hrani!
Slavnomu dolgi dni
Daj na zemli!
Gordyh smiritelju,
Slabyh hranitelju,
Vseh utešitelju—
Vsjo nispošli!

God, save the Tsar!
To the glorious one, long days
Give on this earth!
To the subduer of the proud,
To the keeper of the weak
To the comforter of everyone,
Grant everything!

Перводержавную
Русь Православную
Боже, храни!
Царство ей стройное,
В силе спокойное!
Всё-ж недостойное
Прочь отжени!

Перводержавную
Русь Православную
Боже, храни!
Царство ей стройное,
Въ силѣ спокойное!
Всё-жъ недостойное
Прочь отжени!

Pervoderžavnuju
Rusj pravoslavnuju
Bože, hrani!
Carstvo jej strojnoje!
V sile spokojnoje!
Vsjo-ž nedostojnoje
Pročj otženi!

The land of the first throne,
Orthodox Russia,
God, do save!
(Make) her tzardom harmonious,
Calm in strength;
And everything unworthy
Drive away!

Rarely used verses

Воинство бранное,
Славой избранное,
Боже, храни!
Воинам мстителям,
Чести спасителям,
Миротворителям долгие дни!

Воинство бранное,
Славой избранное,
Боже, храни!
Воинамъ мстителямъ,
Чести спасителямъ,
Миротворителямъ долгіе дни!

Vojinstvo brannoje,
Slavoj izbrannoje,
Bože, hrani!
Vojinam mstiteljam,
Česti spasiteljam,
Mirotvoriteljam dolgije dni!

The soldiers swear,
The people swear,
God, do save (him)!
Avengers of war,
Saviors of honor,
On the earth (may they be granted) long days!

Мирных воителей
Правды блюстителей
Боже, храни!
Жизнь их примерную
Нелицемерную,
Доблестям верную
Ты помяни!

Мирныхъ воителей
Правды блюстителей
Боже, храни!
Жизнь ихъ примѣрную
Нелицемѣрную,
Доблестямъ вѣрную
Ты помяни!

Mirnyh vojitelej,
Pravdy bljustitelej,
Bože, hrani!
Žiznj ih primernuju,
Nelicemernuju,
Doblestjam vernuju,
Ty pomjani!

(For our) warriors of peace,
The guardians of truth,
God, do save (them)!
Their lives are exemplary,
(They are) unfeigned,
Their true valour
May You remember!

О, Провидение!
Благословение
Нам ниспошли!
К благу стремление,
В счастье смирение,
В скорби терпение
Дай на земли!

О, Провидѣніе!
Благословеніе
Намъ ниспошли!
Къ благу стремленіе,
Въ счастьѣ смиреніе,
Въ скорби терпѣніе
Дай на земли!

O, Providenije!
Blagoslovenije
Nam nispošli!
K blagu stremlenije,
V sčastje smirenije,
V skorbi terpenije
Daj na zemli!

O Providence!
Blessing
Grant to us!
Aspiration to good,
Humility in happiness,
Patience in sorrow
Give on this earth!

Rarely used verse

Будь нам заступником,
Верным сопутником
Нас провожай!
Светло-прелестная,
Жизнь поднебесная,
Сердцу известная,
сердцу сияй!

Будь намъ заступникомъ,
Вернымъ сопутникомъ
Насъ провожай!
Свѣтло-прелестная,
Жизнь поднебесная,
Сердцу извѣстная,
сердцу сіяй!

Budj nam zastupnikom,
Vernom soputnikom,
Nasj provožaj!
Svetlo-prelestnaja,
Žiznj podnebesnaja,
Serdcu izvestnaja,
Serdcu sijaj!

Be our protector,
Our faithful companion,
See us off!
Grant us Your lovely light,
Life from heaven,
Knowledge into our hearts,
And light to shine in our hearts!

Sources

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