The Prayer of Russians

{{Short description|Former national anthem of Russia (1816–1833)}} {{Infobox anthem | title = {{lang|ru|Молитва русских}} | transcription = {{lang|ru|italic=no|Molitva russkikh}} | english_title = "The Prayer of Russians" | prefix = Former national | country = [[Russian Empire|Russia]] | composer = Based on that of "[[God Save the King]]" | author = [[Vasily Zhukovsky]] | adopted = 1816 | until = 1833 | predecessor = "[[Let the Thunder of Victory Rumble! (anthem)|Let the Thunder of Victory Rumble!]]" | successor = "[[God Save the Tsar!]]" | sound = Rufst du, mein Vaterland (1938).oga }}

"'''The Prayer of Russians'''"{{efn|{{lang-rus|Молитва русских|r=Molitva russkikh|p=mɐˈlʲitvə ˈruskʲɪx}}}} is a patriotic hymn that was 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 [[United Kingdom|British]] anthem "[[God Save the King]]" was used.

In 1833, "The Prayer of Russians" was replaced with "[[God Save the Tsar]]". The two songs both have identical [[incipit]]s: «Боже, царя храни».<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150924092127/http://www.rossimvolika.ru/gos-simv/gos-gimn/istoriya/pod-ocherk/page/2/ Очерк истории российского гимна]. ''Государственные символы Российской Федерации''.</ref>

Some consider "God Save the Tsar" Russia's first true national anthem, as both its words and music were Russian. Others{{Who|date=May 2021}} say that the title belongs to "[[Grom pobedy, razdavaysya!|Let the Thunder of Victory Rumble!]]", another popular song at the time, although it never had official status.

==Lyrics== The last four stanzas were seldomly used. [[File:Alexander I of Russia by G.Dawe (1826, Peterhof).jpg|thumb|Portrait of [[Alexander I of Russia|Alexander I]] in the [[Military Gallery]] of the [[Winter Palace]].]]

{| class="wikitable" ![[Reforms of Russian orthography|Russian original]] ![[Reforms of Russian orthography#Post-revolution reform|Post-1917 spelling]] ![[Romanization of Russian|Latin transliteration]] ![[English language|English]] [[translation]] |- style="vertical-align:top; white-space:nowrap;" |<poem lang=ru>Боже, Царя храни! Славному долги дни Дай на земли! 𝄆 Гордыхъ смирителю, Слабыхъ хранителю, Всѣхъ утѣшителю — Всё ниспошли! 𝄇

Перводержавную Русь Православную Боже, храни! 𝄆 Царство ей стройное, Въ силѣ спокойное! Всё-жъ недостойное Прочь отжени! 𝄇

Воинство бранное, Славой избранное, Боже, храни! 𝄆 Воинамъ мстителямъ, Чести спасителямъ, Миротворителямъ Долгіе дни! 𝄇

Мирныхъ воителей Правды блюстителей Боже, храни! 𝄆 Жизнь ихъ примѣрную Нелицемѣрную, Доблестямъ вѣрную Ты помяни! 𝄇

О, Провидѣніе! Благословеніе Намъ ниспошли! 𝄆 Къ благу стремленіе, Въ счастьѣ смиреніе, Въ скорби терпѣніе Дай на земли! 𝄇

Будь намъ заступникомъ, Вѣрнымъ сопутникомъ Насъ провожай! 𝄆 Свѣтло-прелестная, Жизнь поднебесная, Сердцу извѣстная, сердцу сіяй! 𝄇</poem> |<poem lang=ru>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! 𝄇

Воинство бранное, Славой избранное, Боже, храни! 𝄆 Воинам-мстителям, Чести спасителям, Миротворителям Долгие дни! 𝄇

Мирных воителей, Правды блюстителей Боже, храни! 𝄆 Жизнь их примерную Нелицемерную, Доблестям верную Ты помяни! 𝄇

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

Будь нам заступником, Верным сопутником Нас провожай! 𝄆 Светло-прелестная, Жизнь поднебесная, Сердцу известная, Сердцу сияй! 𝄇</poem> |<poem lang=ru>Bozhe, tsarya khrani! Slavnomu dolgi dni Day na zemli! 𝄆 Gordykh smiritelyu Slabykh khranitelyu Vsekh uteshitelyu — Vso nisposhli! 𝄇

Pervoderzhavnuyu Rus' pravoslavnuyu Bozhe, khrani! 𝄆 Tsarstvo yey stroynoye, V sile spokoynoye! Vsyo-zh nedostoynoye Proch' otzheni! 𝄇

Voinstvo brannoye, Slavoy izbrannoye, Bozhe, khrani! 𝄆 Voinam mstitelyam, Chesti spasitelyam, Mirotvoritelyam Dolgiye dni! 𝄇

Mirnykh voiteley, Pravdy blyustiteley, Bozhe, khrani! 𝄆 Zhizn' ikh primernuyu, Nelitsemernuyu, Doblestyam vernuyu, Ty pomyani! 𝄇

O, Provideniye! Blagosloveniye Nam nisposhli! 𝄆 K blagu stremleniye, V shchastye smireniye, V skorbi terpeniye Day na zemli! 𝄇

Bud' nam zastupnikom, Vernym soputnikom, Nas provozhay! 𝄆 Svetlo-prelestnaya, Zhizn' podnebesnaya, Serdtsu izvestnaya, Serdtsu siyay! 𝄇</poem> |<poem>God save the Tsar! Long are the days of the great, Conjure upon the earth! 𝄆 To the subduer of the proud, To the guardian of the weak To the consoler of everyone, Grant him everything! 𝄇

The land of the first throne, Orthodox Russia, God save him! 𝄆 A harmonious reign for her, Calm in strength; And everything unworthy, Drive away! 𝄇

The host of warriors, Chosen by glory, God save them! 𝄆 Avengers of war, Saviours of honour, Guardians of peace Grant them long days! 𝄇

For our warriors of peace, The guardians of truth, God save them! 𝄆 Their exemplary lives, Unfeigned lives, Live true to valour, Remember ye! 𝄇

O, Providence! The blessing, Grant it to us! 𝄆 Aspiration to good, Humility in joy, Patience in sorrow Conjure upon the earth! 𝄇

Be our protector, Our faithful companion, Accompany us! 𝄆 Bright and charming, Life under the skies, Known to our hearts, Shine in our hearts! 𝄇</poem> |}

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060421030333/http://www.hymn.ru/soboleva-russian-national-symbols/ "The Prayer of Russians" (in Russian)] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20131013212225/http://www.hymn.ru/index-en.html An audio recording of «Молитва русских» by Valaam choir]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Prayer of Russians}} [[Category:European anthems]] [[Category:Christian prayer]] [[Category:Historical national anthems]] [[Category:Russian anthems]] [[Category:Royal anthems]] [[Category:1816 songs]] [[Category:God Save the King]]