Children’s Songs and Hymns for the Coptic New Year:
the “Feast of Nayrouz”
1.We Have Brave Heroic Soldiers
We’re the cubs of brave lions,our heroic soldiers, the great ones. Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They faced rulers, the mightiest,prepared, serene and steadfast.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
None of them got any scare,from jailer or executioner.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They faced fierce and hungry beasts,with much joy and eagerness.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They marched through fires uncaring, with faith, resolve and longing.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
They were the faith’s best keeper,filled with enthusiasm and fervour.
Thoksasi philan-ethrope
2.Your Redness, O Dates, Is Like.....
Your redness, O dates, is like the bloodthat watered our land, as the flood. (2)
The martyrs’ blood flowed in our landwatered it and mixed with its sand.
Your heart, O dates, is so whitelike a shining heart, pure and bright. (2)
The shining heart, pure and cleanis the martyrs’ heart, brave and serene.
The steadfast faith is every bithard, O dates, like your pit. (2)
Our martyrs gave us the Faiththe steadfast living faith.
3.I Am Christian
I am Christian, I am ChristianI am Christian firm and strong.
Even if tortured, flogged or beatenChrist will change my pain to song.
Refrain
I am Christian, I am ChristianI am Christian firm and strong.
I am Christian like my fatherswho have struggled long ago.
They witnessed for Christ our Saviourto worship idols they said, “No!”
Refrain......
I am Christian like my fatherswho went through much torture and pain.
And their blood flowed like riversbut their flowing blood was not in vain.
Refrain......
I am Christian like my fatherswho have gained eternal crowns.
For they didn’t forsake our Saviourand accepted death without a frown.
Refrain.....
4.We’re the Martyrs’ Children
We’re the martyrs’ children,the children of the Faith,
our Church’s always dear, it’s the Church of the brave.
Righteous martyrs to our Lord, in Jerusalem,
in the faithful’s ranks, we’ll shed our blood for him.
In the Church of Christ, Satan cannot go there,
our strong and steadfast faith, testifies everywhere.
We were five children, of Refka - one mother,
plus four heros with Doulagy, their mother.
From all our hearts we love Christ our Father,
we’ve shed our blood, tasted thirst and hunger.
We’re children - but brave since the days of Diocletian,
our struggle was valiant through the reign of Valerian.
O Church of martyrs, destined for God’s kingdom,
we’re unaffected by threats, death or persecution.
If a thousand martyrs are sacrificed for God daily,
we’ll give our souls for the faith with joy,fearlessly.
We’ll spend our lives struggling and watchful,
someday we’ll earn our crowns, triumph and be joyful.
5.O Lord, I Am Your Bondservant
O Lord, I am Your bondservantYour hands have formed my heart and soul. (2)
My love for You is becauseYou’ve loved me eternally.(2)
My heart cries to You saying“Come, live within me forever!”(2)
There is my heart - come O Lordcome, live within me forever.(2)
My spirit is sweet while with Youkeep her, O Lord, through Your heaven.(2)
My spirit cries out saying, “My God!”
keep her, O Lord, through Your heaven.(2)
O Lord, I am Your bondservantYour hands have formed my heart and soul.(2)
I do love You, I do love YouI do love You, O my Lord.(2)
6.Chant on the Feast of Nayrouz
Refrain
Chant on the Feast of Nayrouz,
the feast of martyrs and confessors;
the feast of Peter, Seal of the martyrs,
chant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
Come all of you, eat with useat dates and guava with us.
So you can share our joy with uschant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
O dates, like their blood, your red’s brightlike theirs, your heart’s all white.
Like their faith your pit is stoutchant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
This white guava is, for surelike their hearts, white and pure.
The greatest gift is hearts so purechant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
We remember each New Yearour martyrs, great and dear.
They kept our faith with no fearchant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
They went through many torturesbut they stood in steadfastness.
Our Faith’s our rock in hardshipschant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
By pagans they were ruled“Renounce your faith,” they were told.
They refused and were resolvedchant on the Feast of Nayrouz.
7.Impossible.....Impossible
Refrain
Impossible, there’s no way,that our Saviour forget us.
Our hearts can’t go astray, He’ll never forsake us.
We dwell in the Lord’s handour Keeper forever.
Each hair He does command,won’t leave it - no, never.
Refrain....
Nothing, nothing at allcan keep us from Him.
No hair can ever fallexcept through word from Him.
Refrain....
We’re engraved in His palmwe’re the apple of His eye.
His love’s a soothing balmHe came and for us did die.
Refrain....
Nothing O Lord scares usin this world, no, nothing
You’re our Shepherd, our fortressour strength and our blessing.
Refrain....
Our Lord is our Belovedwe always pray to Him.
Through His light we’re comfortedour hearts are glad in Him.
Refrain....
1