1. Die Here is my Herder, ek kom niks kort nie. 2. Hy laat my in groen weivelde rus. Hy bring my by waters waar daar vrede is. 3. Hy gee my nuwe krag. Hy lei my op die regte paaie tot eer van Sy naam. 4. Selfs al gaan ek deur donker dieptes, sal ek nie bang wees nie, want U is by my. In u hande is ek veilig.
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not be in want: He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters: He restores my soul. he guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me ; your rod and staff they comfort me''
In May 1918, C.J. Langenhoven wrote an Afrikaans poem called Die Stem, for which music was composed by the Reverend Marthinus Lourens de Villiers in 1921. It was widely used by the South African Broadcasting Corporation in the 1920s, which played it at the close of daily broadcasts, along with God Save the King. It was sung publicly for the first time on 31 May 1928.
| Die Stem van Suid-Afrika | The Call of South Africa | Literal translation from Afrikaans |
| First verse | ||
|---|---|---|
| Uit die blou van onse hemel, | Ringing out from our blue heavens, | From the blue of our heaven |
| Uit die diepte van ons see, | From our deep seas breaking round, | From the depths of our sea, |
| Oor ons ewige gebergtes | Over everlasting mountains, | Over our eternal mountain ranges |
| Waar die kranse antwoord gee. | Where the echoing crags resound, | Where the cliffs give answer |
| Deur ons vêr verlate vlaktes | From our plains where creaking wagons, | Through our far-deserted plains |
| Met die kreun van ossewa. | Cut their trails into the earth, | With the groan of ox-wagon |
| Ruis die stem van ons geliefde, | Calls the spirit of our country, | Rises the voice of our beloved, |
| Van ons land Suid-Afrika. | Of the land that gave us birth. | Of our country South Africa |
| Ons sal antwoord op jou roepstem, | At thy call we shall not falter, | We will answer to your calling, |
| Ons sal offer wat jy vra: | Firm and steadfast we shall stand, | We will sacrifice what you ask |
| Ons sal lewe, ons sal sterwe, | At thy will to live or perish, | We will live, we will die |
| Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika. | O South Africa, dear land. | We for Thee, South Africa |
| Second verse | ||
| In die merg van ons gebeente, | In our body and our spirit, | In the marrow of our bones |
| in ons hart en siel en gees, | In our inmost heart held fast; | In our heart and soul and spirit |
| In ons roem op ons verlede, | In the promise of our future, | In the glory of our past |
| In ons hoop op wat sal wees. | And the glory of our past; | In our hope of what will be |
| In ons wil en werk en wandel, | In our will, our work, our striving, | In our will and work and wander, |
| Van ons wieg tot aan ons graf. | From the cradle to the grave- | From our crib to our grave |
| Deel geen ander land ons liefde, | There's no land that shares our loving, | Share no other land our love, |
| Trek geen ander trou ons af. | And no bond that can enslave. | Will no other win our trust. |
| Vaderland, ons sal die adel, | Thou hast borne us and we know thee, | Fatherland! We will bear the nobility |
| Van jou naam met ere dra: | May our deeds to all proclaim | Of your name with honour: |
| Waar en trou as Afrikaners, | Our enduring love and service | Dedicated and true as Afrikaners, |
| Kinders van Suid-Afrika. | To thy honour and thy name. | Children of South Africa |
| Third verse | ||
| In die songloed van ons somer, | In the golden warmth of summer, | In the sunglow of our summer, |
| in ons winternag se kou, | In the chill of winter's air, | In our winter nights so cold |
| In die lente van ons liefde, | In the surging life of springtime, | In the spring of our love, |
| in die lanfer van ons rou. | In the autumn of despair; | In the mourning of our loss |
| By die klink van huw'liksklokkies, | When the wedding bells are chiming, | At the sound of wedding bells, |
| by die kluit-klap op die kis. | Or when those we love do depart, | At the stonefall on the coffin. |
| Streel jou stem ons nooit verniet nie, | Thou dost know us for thy children | Soothes your voice us never in vain, |
| Weet jy waar jou kinders is. | And dost take us to thy heart | You know where your children are. |
| Op jou roep sê ons nooit nee nie, | Loudly peals the answering chorus; | At your call we never say no, |
| Sê ons altyd, altyd ja: | We are thine, and we shall stand, | We always, always say yes: |
| Om te lewe, om te sterwe - | Be it life or death, to answer | To live, to die - |
| Ja, ons kom, Suid-Afrika. | To thy call, beloved land. | Yes, we come South Africa |
| Fourth verse | ||
| Op U Almag vas vertrouend | In thy power, Almighty, trusting, | On your almight steadfast entrusted |
| het ons vadere gebou: | Did our fathers build of old; | Had our fathers built: |
| Skenk ook ons die krag, o Here! | Strengthen then, O Lord, their children | Give to us also the strength, o Lord! |
| Om te handhaaf en te hou. | To defend, to love, to hold- | To sustain and to preserve. |
| Dat die erwe van ons vadere | That the heritage they gave us | That the heritage of our fathers |
| Vir ons kinders erwe bly: | For our children yet may be; | For our children heritage remain |
| Knegte van die Allerhoogste, | Bondsmen only to the Highest | Servants of the almighty, |
| Teen die hele wêreld vry. | And before the whole world free. | Against the whole world free. |
| Soos ons vadere vertrou het, | As our fathers trusted humbly, | As our fathers had faith, |
| Leer ook ons vertrou, o Heer: | Teach us, Lord to trust Thee still; | Teach us as well to believe, o Lord: |
| Met ons land en met ons nasie | Guard our land and guide our people | With our land and with our nation |
| Sal dit wel wees, God regeer. | In Thy way to do Thy will. | Will it be well, God reigns. |
