Children’s Songs and Hymns for the Coptic New Year:
the “Feast of Nayrouz”
1.
We Have Brave Heroic Soldiers
We’re the cubs of brave lions,
our heroic soldiers, the great ones.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They faced rulers, the mightiest,
prepared, serene and steadfast.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
None of them got any scare,
from jailer or executioner.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They faced fierce and hungry beasts,
with much joy and eagerness.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They marched through fires uncaring,
with faith, resolve and longing.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They were the faith’s best keeper,
filled with enthusiasm and fervour.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
2.
Your Redness, O Dates, Is Like.....
Your redness, O dates, is like the blood
that watered our land, as the flood.
The martyrs’ blood flowed in our land
watered it and mixed with its sand.
Your heart, O dates, is so white
like a shining heart, pure and bright.
The shining heart, pure and clean
is the martyrs’ heart, brave and serene.
The steadfast faith is every bit
hard, O dates, like your pit.
Our martyrs gave us the Faith
the steadfast living faith.
3.
(2)
(2)
(2)
I Am Christian
I am Christian, I am Christian
Even if tortured, flogged or beaten
I am Christian firm and strong.
Christ will change my pain to song.
Refrain
I am Christian, I am Christian
I am Christian firm and strong.
1
I am Christian like my fathers
They witnessed for Christ our Saviour
who have struggled long ago.
to worship idols they said, “No!”
Refrain......
I am Christian like my fathers
And their blood flowed like rivers
who went through much torture and pain.
but their flowing blood was not in vain.
Refrain......
I am Christian like my fathers
For they didn’t forsake our Saviour
who have gained eternal crowns.
and accepted death without a frown.
Refrain.....
4.
We’re the Martyrs’ Children
We’re the martyrs’ children, the children of the Faith,
our Church’s always dear, it’s the Church of the brave.
Righteous martyrs to our Lord, in Jerusalem,
in the faithful’s ranks, we’ll shed our blood for him.
In the Church of Christ, Satan cannot go there,
our strong and steadfast faith, testifies everywhere.
We were five children, of Refka - one mother,
plus four heros with Doulagy, their mother.
From all our hearts we love Christ our Father,
we’ve shed our blood, tasted thirst and hunger.
We’re children - but brave since the days of Diocletian,
our struggle was valiant through the reign of Valerian.
O Church of martyrs, destined for God’s kingdom,
we’re unaffected by threats, death or persecution.
If a thousand martyrs are sacrificed for God daily,
we’ll give our souls for the faith with joy,fearlessly.
We’ll spend our lives struggling and watchful,
someday we’ll earn our crowns, triumph and be joyful.
2
5.
O Lord, I Am Your Bondservant
O Lord, I am Your bondservant
Your hands have formed my heart and soul. (2)
My love for You is because
You’ve loved me eternally.
(2)
My heart cries to You saying
“Come, live within me forever!”
(2)
There is my heart - come O Lord
come, live within me forever.
(2)
My spirit is sweet while with You
keep her, O Lord, through Your heaven.
(2)
My spirit cries out saying, “My God!”
keep her, O Lord, through Your heaven.
(2)
O Lord, I am Your bondservant
Your hands have formed my heart and soul. (2)
I do love You, I do love You
I do love You, O my Lord.
6.
(2)
Chant on the Feast of Nayrouz
Refrain
Chant on the Feast of Nayrouz,
the feast of martyrs and confessors;
the feast of Peter, Seal of the martyrs,
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
Come all of you, eat with us
So you can share our joy with us
eat dates and guava with us.
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
O dates, like their blood, your red’s bright
Like their faith your pit is stout
like theirs, your heart’s all white.
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
This white guava is, for sure
The greatest gift is hearts so pure
like their hearts, white and pure.
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
We remember each New Year
They kept our faith with no fear
our martyrs, great and dear.
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
They went through many tortures
Our Faith’s our rock in hardships
but they stood in steadfastness.
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
By pagans they were ruled
They refused and were resolved
“Renounce your faith,” they were told.
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
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7.
Impossible.....Impossible
Refrain
Impossible, there’s no way,
Our hearts can’t go astray,
We dwell in the Lord’s hand
Each hair He does command,
that our Saviour forget us.
He’ll never forsake us.
our Keeper forever.
won’t leave it - no, never.
Refrain....
Nothing, nothing at all
No hair can ever fall
can keep us from Him.
except through word from Him.
Refrain....
We’re engraved in His palm
His love’s a soothing balm
we’re the apple of His eye.
He came and for us did die.
Refrain....
Nothing O Lord scares us
You’re our Shepherd, our fortress
in this world, no, nothing
our strength and our blessing.
Refrain....
Our Lord is our Beloved
Through His light we’re comforted
we always pray to Him.
our hearts are glad in Him.
Refrain....
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