Yilal Andebete (My Mouth Shall Proclaim)

[Jake Stern]

A beautiful Ethiopian Orthodox mezmur (hymn) for this fine Sunday.

Yilal andebete egziabher qidus new/ My mouth shall proclaim the Holiness of God
Ayetewegnim ena welaj endelelew/ for He shall not abandon me like an orphan
Tinant yetebeqegne yenegem tesefaye/ He is the one who protected me yesterday and my hope for tomorrow
Tilehalech nefese fiqir neh getaye/ my soul shall say to you, you are Love my Lord!


Yetinant hiwoten zor biye sayew/ when I looked back at my past
Mamelecha yelelew atrium eshoh new/ it was barred with walls of thorns no one can escape from
Wede erefte wetahu yidres misganaye/ to you I offer thanksgiving because I escaped to a place of rest
Dejoch bizegubegne ber honogne getaye/even though the doors were barred, my Lord became The Gate for me.


Yilal andebete egziabher qidus new/ My mouth proclaims the Holiness of God
Ayetewegnim ena welaj endelelew/ for He shall not abandon me like an orphan
Tinant yetebeqegne yenegem tesefaye/ He is the one who protected me yesterday and my hope for tomorrow
Tilehalech nefese fiqir neh getaye/ my soul shall say to you, you are Love my Lord!


Betilequ bereha migib metet honogne/ in the depth of the desert he became my food and my drink
Mengeden aqenaw ejen beafe aschanegne/ he straightened my way and I stood in awe
Be esat ena weha mekakel alefe/ having passed through water and fire
Temesegen elalehu qine moltot afe/ I give thanks to you with mouth filled with your odes of your praise

Yilal andebete egziabher qidus new/ My mouth proclaims the Holiness of God
Ayetewegnim ena welaj endelelew/ for He shall not abandon me like an orphan
Tinant yetebeqegne yenegem tesefaye/ He is the one who protected me yesterday and my hope for tomorrow
Tilehalech nefese fiqir neh getaye/ my soul shall say to you, you are Love my Lord!

Yebechegneneten maebel getsesuwal/ He has rebuked the storm of my loneliness
Lene birehan hono lekesash chelemuwal./ the Light has shined for me, while the accuser is cast away in darkness
Qestun eyatefe tadegegne keseqaye/ he broke the arrows of the enemy and rescued me from my suffering.
Yegetaye hasab fiqr new bene laye/ My Lord’s banner over me is Love

Yilal andebete egziabher qidus new/ My mouth proclaims the Holiness of God
Ayetewegnim ena welaj endelelew/ for He shall not abandon me like an orphan
Tinant yetebeqegne yenegem tesefaye/ He is the one who protected me yesterday and my hope for tomorrow
Tilehalech nefese fiqir neh getaye/ my soul shall say to you, you are Love my Lord!


Tinant zare nege zelalem tebaqi/ yesterday today, tomorrow and forever he is my protector
Yeliben filagot salenegerew awaqi/ he knows what is in my heart even before I tell him
Bebaheriw qidus yelelew amsaya/ Holy by His Nature, and no one is like Him
Simu wedebe new meleheqen metaya/ His name is my shore where I will be anchored


Yilal andebete egziabher qidus new/ My mouth proclaims the Holiness of God
Ayetewegnim ena welaj endelelew/ for He shall not abandon me like an orphan
Tinant yetebeqegne yenegem tesefaye/ He is the one who protected me yesterday and my hope for tomorrow
Tilehalech nefese fiqir neh getaye/ my soul shall say to you, you are Love my Lord!