A Million Fathoms Deep*

So many religious songs living in my
head - declared my favourite to be
‘Jesus wants me for a sunbeam’

The Pharisees were shocked, I shoud sing
‘From a million fathoms deep*, far from
help, where hope is lost in despair

I cry unto thee, Oh Lord’ or ‘Kumbaya’ and
‘I’ll Walk with God’ by Mario Lanza – but
I still sing ‘Sunbeam’

When I dash about in a fast car, feeling like
a sunbeam of bright, happy light!

[See translation of songs quoted at end of
Afrikaans poem.]

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Uit Dieptes Gans Verlôre*

Ai, die gesangverse wat in my kop woon
‘n nimmereindigende stroom, sommiges
sal nooit religieus korrek werk nie, ‘Daar
waar in vlekkelose wit die Koning van die
wêreld sit’ is nou eenmaal deur Surfadver-
tensies oor skitterwit wasgoed gekaap

Eenkeer het die uwe ewe ernstig aan gods-
diensfanatici verklaar my gunstelingliedjie is
‘Jesus roep my vir ‘n sonstraal’ - A nee a,
het die beterweterige Fariseërs my betig, jy
is nou mooi groot en halfpad dood, kies
nou ‘n grootmenslied – Ek was vies

Moes seker ‘Uit dieptes gans verlôre, van
redding vêr vandaan, waar hoop se laaste
spore, in wanhoop bly vergaan’ gesing het
of dalk ‘Straf tog nie in ongenade, my mis-
dade, Heer, verdra my met geduld!’ eintlik
‘n nog beter keuse sou seker wees

‘Rus my siel, jou God is koning- ieder woelt hier
om verand’ring, en betreur dit as dit kom...’ of
dalk, synde almal die Ingilse taal orals insleep
om grênd te wees, moes ek ‘Kumbaya, my lord,
kumbaya’ voorgedra het – of selfs ‘Unto thee, oh
Lord - let not mine enemies triumph over me’

Synde ek my midde-in ‘n Sanhedriese addersnes
bevind het; as ek mooi dink, moes ek ‘I’ll walk with
God from this day on’ gesing het, die vyand se
teenwoordigheid het duidelik bewys net die
ou duiwel figureer in my lewe, die heel beste
keuse sou seker gewees het

‘Wondergena, algenoegsaam selfs ook vir my, dieper
dan die see van my oortredings, sing dit, groter ver
dan al my sond’ en blaam – PRYS sy naam!’ - ‘Wil
tog nie in toorn ontsteek nie en U wreek nie op my
sond’ en sondeskuld...’

Na diepe bepeinsing en jarelange mymering oor
hierdie netelige kwessie sing ek nog steeds klip-
hard terwyl ek zirts in my vinnige blits: ‘Jesus
roep my vir ‘n sonstraal, om elke dag te skyn’ –
omdat my bloublitsstraaljaagtogte my net soos
‘n sonstraal laat voel!

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[* From a million fathoms deep*, far from help,
where hope is lost in despair, I cry unto thee,
oh Lord; from deep, dark nights, please
harken unto my cry for pity]

* Uit Dieptes Gans Verlôre, van redding vêr vandaan,
waar hoop se laaste spore, in wanhoop bly vergaan,
uit diep van donker nagte, roep ek, o Here, hoor,
en laat my jammerklagte tog opklim in u oor

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Hallelujaliedjie: [Children’s Song]

[Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam - to shine every day,
to please him is all my yearning, though my light is weak,
let me be a sunbeam for aye!]

Jesus roep my vir ‘n sonstraal om elke dag te skyn,
hom te behaag is my strewe, al is my liggie klein,
‘n sonstraal, Jesus roep my vir ‘n sonstraal,
laat my ‘n sonstraal steeds wees!

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Ou NG Kerk Gesangeboek: [Old Church Hymn Book]

[‘He is high and praiseworthy, see city and hill
shimmering in sunshine, and Zion to the North
glowing beyond the reach of words, the Lord of all
immaculate in white’

- This song has been appropriated and corrupted by
washing power advertisements.- ]

Hy is lofwaardig en verhewe, waar berg en stad
in songlans bewe, en Sion teen die Noorde, blink
bo die lof van woorde, daar waar in vlekkelose wit
die Koning van die wêreld sit, het hy wat teen die
vyand waak, as rotsburg hom bekend gemaak.

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[Don’t punish my misdeeds in cold judment, oh Lord,
be patient with me, don’t visit vengeance upon me
and my guilt in your fury]

Straf tog nie in ongenade, my misdade, Heer, verdra
my met geduld! Wil tog nie in toorn ontsteek nie,
en U wreek nie, op my sond’ en sondeskuld.

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Kerkkoor: [Church choir]

[Be at peace, oh my soul, thy God is King,
all are clamouring for change, but regret it
when it comes, yearning to see new things,
but long for what is lost…]

“Rus my siel, jou God is koning, rus my siel,
ieder woelt hier om verand’ring en betreur
dit as dit kom; hy verlang na wat hy sien sal
wens wat hy eens had weerom...”

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Kumbaya:

Kumbaya, my lord, kumbaya, oh Lord, kumbaya
Someone’s singing my Lord –
Someone’s praying my Lord – etc.

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Unto thee, oh Lord, do I lift up my soul, oh my God,
I trust in thee, let me not be afraid, let not mine
enemies triumph over me.

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I’ll walk with God - Words: Paul Francis Webster

I’ll walk with God from this day on, his helping hand
I’ll lean upon, This is my prayer, my humble plea,
may the Lord be ever with me. There is no death...
His hand will guide my throne and rod...

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Evangelieliedere: [Gospel songs]

[Wonderful mercy of Jesus, covering all my sin,
how can I describe this, where shall my song begin,
wonderful mercy of Jesus, I am freed of sin, ‘cause
the wonderful mercy of Jesus reaches me.

Wonderful mercy is the work of Jesus, deeper than
the sea and free, wonderful mercy, all-sufficient,
also for me, deeper than the fathoms of my sinful
deeds, all sing, high above all my sin and guilt,
rejoiceth in the lovely name of Jesus,
PRAISETH Him!]

Wondergena’ van Jesus, wat al my sond’ omring,
hoe sal ek dit beskrywe, waar sal my lof begin,
wondergena’ van Jesus, ek word van sonde vry,
want die wondergena’ van Jesus, reik ook my.

Wonderlik genadewerk, die werk van Jesus, dieper
dan die see en vry, wondergena, algenoegsaam, selfs
ook vir my, dieper dan die see van my oortredings,
sing dit, groter ver dan al my sond’ en blaam,
o roem verhoog die dierb’re naam van Jesus ,
PRYS sy naam!

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