Following is a translation of Psalm 6 into dance and song in Kabiyè by Groupe Ñalɩmɩyɛ. The video is followed by an English back-translation as well as the original Kabiyè text and a French back-translations. The leader (call) part is in standard type, the ensemble (response) is italicized.
Eternal God, your anger is kindled against me, I beg you do not condemn me.
Aawoo, Eternal God, your anger is kindled against me, I beg you do not condemn me.
Aawoo, Eternal God, have mercy on me, aowe, Eternal God have mercy on me.
Aawoo, Eternal God, have mercy on us, aawoo, Eternal God have mercy on us.
Aawoo, Eternal God, have mercy on us oooo, Eternal God have mercy on us. (2 times)
I’m moaning, I’m facing death, ooh my God, ohh my God, come and save me.
Aawoo, I’m moaning, I’m facing death, ooh my God, ohh my God, come and save me.
How long are you going to hold your grudge against me? Aawoo, ooh my God, come and deliver me.
Aawoo, how long are you going to hold your grudge against me? Aawoo, ooh my God, come and deliver me.
Ooh my God come save me, awoo, ooh come save me. (2 times)
Depart from me, my enemies, for God has responded.
Aawee, depart from me my enemies, aawé, for God has responded.
Truly, depart from me my enemies, aawoo, for God has responded.
Truly, oo, depart from me my enemies, aawoo, for God has responded.
Aawoo, my enemies are covered in shame, my God thank you.
Aawoo, my enemies are covered in shame, aawee, my God thank you.
Truly, my enemies are covered in shame, aawee, my God thank you.
Aawoo, my God aawoo, thank you yee, my God thank you.
Truly, my God thank you, aawee, my God thank you.
My God thank you, aawoo, my God thank you.
Aawee my God thank you, aawoo, my God thank you.
Aawoo, Infinite One thank you, my God thank you.
Aawoo, Eternal thank you truly, my God thank you.
Aawee, my God thank you, my God thank you.
Aawee, my God thank you aawoo, my God thank you.
Click or tap here to see the the text in French back-translation
Eternel Dieu, ta colère s’est enflammée contre moi, je te supplie ne me condamne pas.
Aawoo, Eternel Dieu, ta colère s’est enflammée contre moi, je te supplie ne me condamne pas.
Aawoo, Eternel Dieu, aie pitié de moi, aouwé, Eternel Dieu aie pitié de moi.
Aawoo, Eternel Dieu, aie pitié de moi, aawoo, Eternel Dieu aie pitié de moi.
Aawoo, Eternal God, have mercy on us, aawoo, Eternal God have mercy on us.
Aawoo, Eternel Dieu, aie pitié de nous oooo, Eternel Dieu aie pitié de nous. (2 times)
Je gémis, je suis devant la mort, ooh mon Dieu, ohh mon Dieu, viens me sauver.
Aawoo, je gémis, je suis devant la mort, ooh mon Dieu, ohh mon Dieu, viens me sauver.
Tu vas garder rancune contre moi jusqu’à quand ? Aawoo, ooh mon Dieu, viens me délivrer.
Awoo, tu vas garder rancune contre moi jusqu’à quand ? Aawoo, ooh mon Dieu, viens me délivrer.
Ooh mon Dieu viens me sauver, aawoo, ooh viens me sauver. (2 fois)
Eloignez-vous de moi mes ennemis, car Dieu m’a exaucé.
Aawé, eloignez-vous de moi mes ennemis, aawé, car Dieu m’a exaucé.
Véritablement, éloignez-vous de moi mes ennemis, aawoo, car Dieu m’a exaucé.
Véritablement, oo, éloignez-vous de moi mes ennemis, aawoo, car Dieu m’a exaucé.
Aawoo, mes ennemis sont couverts de honte, mon Dieu merci.
Aawoo, mes ennemis sont couverts de honte, aawee, mon Dieu merci.
Véritablement, mes ennemis sont couverts de honte, aawee, mon Dieu merci.
Aawoo, mon Dieu aawoo, merci yee, mon Dieu merci.
Véritablement, mon Dieu merci, aawee, mon Dieu merci.
Mon Dieu merci, aawoo, mon Dieu merci.
Aawee mon Dieu merci, aawoo, mon Dieu merci.
Aawoo, l’Infini merci, mon Dieu merci.
Aawoo, Eternel merci vraiment, mon Dieu merci.
Aawee, mon Dieu merci, mon Dieu merci.
Aawee, Mon Dieu merci aawoo, mon Dieu merci.
Click or tap here to see the the text in Kabiyè
Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ, ña-pana pane-m yeee, Mentenda-ŋ taakʋ mɔn-tɔm.
Aawoo, Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ, ña-pana kpana-m yeee, Mentenda-ŋ taakʋ mɔn-tɔm.
Aawoo, Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ ná man-pʋdɔɖɩyɛ, aawee, Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ ná man-pʋdɔdɩyɛ.
Aawoo, Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ ná man-pʋdɔɖɩyɛ, aawoo, Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ ná man-pʋdɔdɩyɛ.
Aawoo, Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ ná ɖa-pʋdɔdɩyɛ nee, Mɛwɛtam Ɛsɔ ná ɖa-pʋdɔdɩyɛ (2 fois)
Menseliɣ kpakpa, mɛwɛ sɩm nɔɔ nee, aawoo, hayɩ mɛ-Ɛsɔ yá ma-ñʋʋ.
Aawoo, Menseliɣ kpakpa, mɛwɛ sɩm nɔɔ nee, aawee, hayɩ mɛ-Ɛsɔ yá ma-ñʋʋ.
Ŋhakɩna-m nɛ pɩsɩna ɖooye? Aawoo, ooo mɛ-Ɛsɔ kɔɔ ŋlɩzɩ-m pɩ-taa.
Aawoo, Ŋhakɩna-m nɛ pɩsɩna ɖooye? Aawoo, ooo mɛ-Ɛsɔ kɔɔ ŋlɩzɩ-m pɩ-taa.
Ooo mɛ-Ɛsɔ kɔɔ ŋya ma-ñʋʋ neee, aawoo, ooo mɛ-Ɛsɔ yá ma-ñʋʋ. (2 fois)
Mon-koyindinaa, éposina-m yee, mbʋ pʋyɔɔ yɔ Ɛsɔ cosa-m.
Aawee, Mon-koyindinaa, éposina-m yee, aawee, mbʋ pʋyɔɔ yɔ Ɛsɔ cosa-m.
Toovenim taa, mon-koyindinaa, éposina-m yoo, aawoo, mbʋ pʋyɔɔ yɔ Ɛsɔ cosa-m.
Toovenim taa, mon-koyindinaa, oo, éposina-m yee, aawee, mbʋ pʋyɔɔ yɔ Ɛsɔ cosa-m.
Aawoo, fɛyɛ kpa ooo mon-koyindinaa nee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Aawoo, fɛyɛ kpa oo mon-koyindinaa nee, aawee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Toovenim taa, fɛyɛ kpa ee mon-koyindinaa nee aawee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Aawoo, Mɛ-ɛsɔ aawoo, ŋlabaɣlɛ yee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Toovenim taa mɛ-Ɛsɔ yee ŋlabaɣlɛ yee aawee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ
Aawoo Mɛ-ɛsɔ ee ŋlabaɣlɛ yee aawoo, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Aawee Mɛ-ɛsɔ oo ŋlabaɣlɛ yee aawee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Aawoo, Pɩɩtɛŋ ŋlabaɣlɛ aawee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Aawoo, Mɛwɛtam ŋlabaɣlɛ yoo toovenim, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Aawee, Mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ yee, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Aawee, Mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ yee aawoo, mɛ-Ɛsɔ ŋlabaɣlɛ.
Kabiye transcription and translation to French was completed by Mawèdong Amana, checking of Kabiye orthography and French translation was done by Kpatcha Hemou and Essokilina Tchamie, English translation by Sarah Jane Capper. Groupe Ñalɩmɩyɛ members: Ahoumondom Jacob Polonyoni, Louise Bide, Brouwa Adoko, Kodjo Boromna, Meneze Edjadefei, Maniya Pidaman.
The artists in these videos composed these songs by studying Psalms 6, 150 and 118 as well as Kabiye music and dance styles. They participated in a two-week workshop organized by SIL Togo-Benin in Kara, Togo in partnership with the master’s thesis research of Sarah Jane Capper for Dallas International University; the Association pour la Promotion des Saintes-Écritures en Kabiye (APSEK); and Scriptura.
Songs © APSEK 2024. CC BY-NC-ND