Mahutny Boža (Almighty God)

"Mahutny Boža" (Belarusian: Магу́тны Бо́жа, translated as "Almighty God") is a famous Belarusian hymn,[1][2] based on a poem by Natallia Arsiennieva and music by Mikola Ravienski. It was translated into English by Vera Rich.

"Mahutny Boža"
Hymn
LanguageBelarusian
English titleAlmighty God
Written1947
GenreBelarusian national hymn
Songwriter(s)Natallia Arsiennieva
Composer(s)Mikola Ravienski

The hymn has given its name to a festival of ecclesiastical music in Mahilioŭ[3] and became one of the protest songs during the 2020-21 Belarusian protests.

History
The tombstone on Mikola Ravienski's grave in Leuven, Belgium with the sheet music of Mahutny Boža engraved

In 1947 composer Mikola Ravienski wrote music for the poem "Prayer" written by Natallia Arsiennieva four years earlier. Soon it became widely used by Belarusian communities in the UK, US, Canada and Australia.[4]

Since the late 1980s, the hymn has gained popularity in post-Soviet Belarus. In 1993 the Catholic Church in Belarus initiated a festival of ecclesiastical music in Mahilioŭ which was named after the hymn.[5]

In 1995 the hymn was proposed as one of the candidates for the national anthem of Belarus.[6] However, the government of Alexander Lukashenka instead adopted the old anthem of Soviet Belarus with some variation to the lyrics.

In 2005 Mahutny Boža was translated into English by Vera Rich.[7]

During the 2020-21 Belarusian protests the hymn became one of the protest songs and its performance was banned within the Belarusian parishes of the Russian Orthodox Church.[8][9][10]

In spring 2021, the hymn was recognised as "one of the most popular Belarusian music pieces".[11]

Lyrics
Belarusian lyrics (Cyrillic script)

Магутны Божа

 Belarusian lyrics (Łacinka)

Mahutny Boža

 English translation

Almighty God

Магутны Божа! Ўладар сусьветаў,
Вялікіх сонцаў і сэрц малых!
Над Беларусяй, ціхай і ветлай,
Рассып праменьні свае хвалы.

Mahutny Boža! Ŭładar suśvietaŭ,
Vialikich soncaŭ i serc małych!
Nad Biełarusiaj cichaj i vietłaj
Rassyp pramieńni svaje chvały.

O God almighty, O Lord of creation,
Of splendid suns and of humble hearts,
To Belarus, peaceful and patient,
The radiance of Thy glory impart.

Дай спор у працы штодзеннай, шэрай,
На лусту хлеба, на родны край,
Павагу, сілу і веліч веры
У нашу праўду, у прышласьць — дай!

Daj spor u pracy štodzionnaj šeraj,
Na łustu chleba, na rodny kraj,
Pavahu, siłu i vielič viery
U našu praŭdu, u pryšłaść — daj!

O bless our daily toil, performed soundly,
For native land and for bread to live,
Honour and dignity and faith abounding
In our cause, in our future — O give!

Дай урадлівасьць жытнёвым нівам,
Учынкам нашым пашлі ўмалот!
Зрабі магутнай, зрабі шчасьлівай
Краіну нашу і наш народ!

Daj uradlivaść žytniovym nivam,
Učynkam našym pajšli ŭmałot!
Zrabi mahutnaj, zrabi ščaślivaj
Krainu našu i naš narod!

The fruitfulness of our fields do Thou foster,
Good winnowed grain give as toil's reward,
O make them free, O make them prosper —
Our people and our country, O Lord!

References
  1. Свабода, Радыё (11 December 2007). "Беларускія гімны – дасьледаваньне "Свабоды"" [Belarusian Anthems - research by Radio Liberty]. Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  2. Вячорка, Вінцук (24 March 2021). "Чаму дзяржаўным гімнам БНР стаў ваяцкі марш «Мы выйдзем шчыльнымі радамі»?" [Why did the military song Vajacki marš become the national anthem of the Belarusian Democratic Republic? by Vincuk Viačorka]. Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  3. "Mahutny Bozha church music festival in Mogilev". eng.belta.by. 2017-06-28. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  4. Пазьняк, Зянон. "Беларускія гімны" [Belarusian anthems, by Zianon Pazniak]. Беларуская Салідарнасьць (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  5. "Як улады ўзялі пад кантроль фэстываль духоўнай музыкі «Магутны Божа». Рэдкія фота" [How the authorities took under control the festival of ecclesiastical music "Mahutny Boža". Rare photos]. Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). 18 May 2019. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  6. Корсак, Дмитрий (2020-10-13). "Такие песни любят не по распоряжению правительства. Историк про гимны Беларуси - Люди Onliner" [Those songs are liked not by an order of the government, by D. Korsak]. Onliner (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  7. Лайдинен, Наталья. "Женская поэзия: Арсеньева Наталья (Наталля Арсеннева)" [Women poetry: Natallia Arsiennieva, by Natalia Laidinen]. www.laidinen.ru. Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  8. Карневіч, Міхал (2020-09-08). "На беларускага архіепіскапа, які выступіў за Праўду, пачаліся нападкі" [Attacks on a Belarusian archbishop who spoke for Truth, by Michal Karnievič]. Народная Воля (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  9. Свабода, Радыё (14 October 2020). "Мітрапаліт Веньямін забараніў выконваць гімн «Магутны Божа», бо ён «падзяляе грамадзтва»" [Metropolitan Bishop Veniamin banned the performance of hymn "Mahutny Boža" because it "divides society"]. Радыё Свабода (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.
  10. "A Monitoring of the Persecution in Belarus of People on Religious Grounds During the Political Crisis (UPDATING) – Царква і палітычны крызіс у Беларусі". 25 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-06-08.
  11. "Будзьма беларусамі! » Як у Мінску ўшанавалі памяць аўтара гімна «Магутны Божа»" [How the author of hymn Mahutny Boža was commemorated in Minsk]. budzma.by (in Belarusian). Retrieved 2021-06-07.

Further reading
  • Беларуская каталіцкая музыка. Касьцельныя песьні. Для зьмешанага хору [Belarusian Catholic music. Church hymns. For mixed choir] / Уклад. Уладзімер Неўдах. — Менск: Беларуская каталіцкая грамада, 1992 (in Belarusian)
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