Молитва русских

English: The Prayer of Russians
Molitva russkikh
anthem of	Russian Empire
Lyrics	Vasily Zhukovsky
Adopted	1816
Until	1833

Molitva russkikh (The Prayer of Russians, Russian: Молитва русских) 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.

[edit] Lyrics

Portrait of Alexander I in the Military Gallery of the Winter Palace. Alexander made the song Russia's anthem

[edit] In Russian

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

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

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

[edit] Transliterated Lyrics

Bozhje, tsarja khrani!
Slavnomu dolgi dni
Daj na zjemli! (2X)
Gordykh smiritelju,
Slabykh khranitelju,
Vsjekh uteshitelju -
Vsjo nisposhli!

Pervodjerzhavnuju
Rus' pravoslavnuju
Bozhje,tsarya khrani!
Tsarstvo jej storojnoje!
V silje spokojnoje!
Vsjo zh nedostojnoje
Proch' otzhjeni!

O, Providjenije!
Blagoslovjenije
Nam nisposhli!
K blagu strjemljenije,
V schast'je smirjenije,
V skorbi tjerpjenije
Daj na zjemli!

[edit] In English

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!

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

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

[edit] IPA Transcription

[ˈbol.ʒʲe.ˈtsa.ɾʲa.ˈxɾa.ni]
[ˈslav.no.ˌmʉ.ˈdol.gi.dni]
[ˈdai.na.zʲem.ˈli]
[goɾ.ˈdɨx.smi.ˈɾi.tʲe.lʲu]
[slab.ˈɨx.xɾa.ˈni.tʲe.lʲu]
[vsʲe.xʉ.ˈtʲe.ˌʃi.tʲe.lʲu]
[vsʲo.ˈni.spoʃ.l.ˌi]

[ˈpʲeɾ.vo.dʲeɾ.ˈʒa.vnʉ.ˌiu]
[ˈɾusʲ.pɾa.vos.ˈlav.nʉ.iu]
[bo.ˈʒʲe.xɾa.ˌni]
[ˈtsaɾ.stvo.ˈiei.sto.ˈroi.no.ˈie]
[vsi.ˈlʲe.spo.ˈkoi.no.ˌie]
[vsʲo.ˈʒnʲe.do.ˈstoi.no.ˈie]
[pɾotʃʲ.ot.ˈʒʲe.ni]

[ˈo.pɾo.ˌvi.dʲe.niːe]
[ˈbla.ˌgo.slo.ˈvʲe.niːe]
[nam.ˈni.spo.ˈʃli]
[kbla.ˈgu.ˈstʲe.mlʲe.niːe]
[ˌvstʃastʲ.ie.ˈsmi.ɾʲeniːe]
[vskoɾ.ˈbi.tʲeɾ.ˌpʲe.niːe]
[ˈdai.na.zʲem.ˈli]

[edit] Sources

http://www.hymn.ru/soboleva-russian-national-symbols/ (in Russian), http://www.hymn.ru/index-en.html (contains an audio recording of Molitva russkikh by Valaam choir)

v • d • e National anthems of Russia The Prayer of Russians (1816–1833) · God Save The Tsar! (1833–1917) · Worker's Marseillaise (1917–1918) · The Internationale (1918–1944) · Hymn of the Soviet Union (1944–1990) · The Patriotic Song (1990–2000) · Hymn of the Russian Federation (since 2000)