Die Stem van Suid-Afrika

"The Call of South Africa"

**National anthem of South Africa (formerly)**

"**The Call of South Africa**", or simply "**The Call**", was the national anthem of South Africa between 1957 and 1994. It was written by Cornelius Jacob Langenhoven, and it was composed by Marthinus Lourens de Villiers. Previously, "God Save the King" had been it use; now it has been replaced with the current national anthem.

## Lyrics

Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes
Waar die kranse antwoord gee,
Deur ons ver-verlate vlaktes
Met die kreun van ossewa -
Ruis die stem van ons geliefde
Van ons land Suid-Afrika.
Ons sal antwoord op jou roepstem,
Ons sal offer wat jy vra:
Ons sal lewe, ons sal sterwe -
Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika

In die merg van ons gebeente,
In ons hart en siel en gees,
In ons roem op ons verlede,
In ons hoop of wat sal wees,
In ons wil en werk en wandel,
Van ons wieg tot aan ons graf -
Deel geen ander land ons liefde,
Trek geen ander trou ons af.
Vaderland! ons sal die adel
Van jou naam met ere dra:
Waar en trou as Afrikaners -
Kinders van Suid-Afrika.

In die songloed van ons somer,
In ons winternag se kou,
In die lente van ons liefde,
In die lanfer van ons rou,
By die klink van huweliks-klokkies,
By die kluitklap op die kis -
Streel jou stem ons nooit verniet nie,
Weet jy waar jou kinders is.
Op jou roep se ons nooit nee nie,
Se ons altyd, altyd ja:
Om te lewe, om te sterwe -
Ja, ons kom Suid-Afrika.

Op U Almag vas vertrouend
Het ons vadere gebou:
Skenk ook ons die krag, o Here!
Om te handhaaf en te hou -
Dat die erwe van ons vad're
Vir ons kinders erwe bly:
Knegte van die Allerhoogste,
Teen die hele wereld vry.
Soos ons vadere vertrou het,
Leer ook ons vertrou, o Heer -
Met ons land en met ons nasie
Sal dit wel wees, God regeer.

From the blue of our heaven
From the depths of our sea,
Over our eternal mountain ranges
Where the cliffs give answer
Through our far-deserted plains
With the groan of ox-wagon
Rises the voice of our beloved,
Of our country South Africa
We will answer to your calling,
We will offer what you ask
We will live, we will die
We for Thee, South Africa

In the marrow of our bones
In our heart and soul and spirit
In the glory of our past
In our hope of what will be
In our will and work and wander,
From our crib to our grave
Share no other land our love,
No other loyalty can sway us.
Fatherland! We will bear the nobility
Of your name with honour:
Dedicated and true as Afrikaners,
Children of South Africa

In the sunglow of our summer,
In our winter night's cold
In the spring of our love,
In the autumn of our sorrow
At the sound of wedding bells,
At the stonefall on the coffin.
Soothes your voice us never in vain,
You know where your children are.
At your call we never say no,
We always, always say yes:
To live, to die –
Yes, we come South Africa

On your almight steadfast entrusted
Had our fathers built:
Give to us also the strength, o Lord!
To sustain and to preserve.
That the heritage of our fathers
For our children heritage remain
Servants of the almighty,
Against the whole world free.
As our fathers trusted,
Teach us also to trust, o Lord:
With our land and with our nation
It will be well, God reigns.

Ringing out from our blue heavens,
From our deep seas breaking round;
Over everlasting mountains
Where the echoing crags resound;
From our plains where creaking wagons
Cut their trails into the earth
Calls the spirit of our Country,
Of the land that gave us birth.
At thy call we shall not falter,
Firm and steadfast we shall stand.
At thy will to live or perish,
Oh South Africa, dear land.

In our body and our spirit,
In our inmost heart held fast;
In the promise of our future
And the glory of our past;
In our will, our work, our striving,
From the cradle to the grave –
There’s no land that shares our loving,
And no bond that can enslave.
Thou hast borne us and we know thee.
May our deeds to all proclaim
Our enduring love and service
To thy honour and thy name.

In the golden warmth of summer,
In the chill of winter’s air,
In the surging life of springtime,
In the autumn of despair;
When the wedding bells are chiming,
Or when those we love depart,
Thou dost know us for thy children
And dost take us to thy heart.
Loudly peals the answering chorus;
We are thine, and we shall stand,
Be it life or death, to answer
Thy call, beloved land.

In thy power Almighty, trusting,
Did our fathers build of old;
Strengthen then, Oh Lord, their children
To defend, to love, to hold
That the heritage they gave us
For our children yet may be:
Bondsmen only to the Highest
And before the whole world free.
As our fathers trusted humbly,
Teach us, Lord, to trust Thee still:
Guard our land and guide our people
In Thy way to do Thy will.

## References

1. ↑ http://www.flatinternational.org/template\_volume.php?volume\_id=272