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Molitva russkikh
English: The Prayer of Russians
Молитва русских
Former national anthem of Russia
Lyrics	Vasily Zhukovsky
Music	Melody to "God Save the King"
Adopted	1816
Relinquished	1833
Preceded by	"Let the Thunder of Victory Rumble!"
Succeeded by	"God Save the Tsar!"

"The Prayer of Russians" (Russian: Молитва русских, tr. Molitva russkikh, IPA: [mɐˈlʲitvə ˈruskʲɪx]) is a song 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 British anthem "God Save the King" was used.

In 1833, "The Prayer of Russians" was replaced with "God Save the Tsar" (Bozhe, tsarya khrani). The two songs both start with the same words Bozhe, tsarya khrani but diverge after that.

Some consider God Save the Tsar Russia's first true national anthem, as both its words and music were Russian. Others^[who?] say the title belongs to Grom pobedy, razdavaysya!, another popular song of the time, although it never had official status.

Lyrics

Russian	Pre-1917 Orthography	Transliteration	English translation
Боже, Царя храни! Славному долги дни Дай на земли! 𝄆 Гордых смирителю, Слабых хранителю, Всех утешителю— Всё ниспошли! 𝄇	Боже, Царя храни! Славному долги дни Дай на земли! 𝄆 Гордыхъ смирителю, Слабыхъ хранителю, Всѣхъ утѣшителю— Всё ниспошли! 𝄇	Bozhe, tsarya khrani! Slavnomu dolgi dni Day na zemli! 𝄆 Gordykh smiritelyu Slabykh khranitelyu Vsekh uteshitelyu— Vso nisposhli! 𝄇	God, save the Tsar! To the glorious one, long days Give on this earth! 𝄆 To the subduer of the proud, To the keeper of the weak To the comforter of everyone, Grant everything! 𝄇
Перводержавную Русь Православную Боже, храни! 𝄆 Царство ей стройное, В силе спокойное! Всё ж недостойное Прочь отжени! 𝄇	Перводержавную Русь Православную Боже, храни! 𝄆 Царство ей стройное, Въ силѣ спокойное! Всё-жъ недостойное Прочь отжени! 𝄇	Pervoderzhavnuyu Rus' pravoslavnuyu Bozhe, khrani! 𝄆 Tsarstvo yey stroynoye, V sile spokoynoye! Vsyo-zh nedostoynoye Proch' otzheni! 𝄇	The land of the first throne, Orthodox Russia, God, do save! 𝄆 A harmonious reign for her, Calm in strength; And everything unworthy Drive away! 𝄇
Rarely used verses
Воинство бранное, Славой избранное, Боже, храни! 𝄆 Воинам мстителям, Чести спасителям, Миротворителям Долгие дни! 𝄇	Воинство бранное, Славой избранное, Боже, храни! 𝄆 Воинамъ мстителямъ, Чести спасителямъ, Миротворителямъ Долгіе дни! 𝄇	Voinstvo brannoye, Slavoy izbrannoye, Bozhe, khrani! 𝄆 Voinam mstitelyam, Chesti spasitelyam, Mirotvoritelyam Dolgiye dni! 𝄇	The warriors' host, Chosen by glory, God, do save (them)! 𝄆 Avengers of war, Saviours of honour, Keepers of the peace (May they be granted) long days! 𝄇
Мирных воителей Правды блюстителей Боже, храни! 𝄆 Жизнь их примерную Нелицемерную, Доблестям верную Ты помяни! 𝄇	Мирныхъ воителей Правды блюстителей Боже, храни! 𝄆 Жизнь ихъ примѣрную Нелицемѣрную, Доблестямъ вѣрную Ты помяни! 𝄇	Mirnykh voiteley, Pravdy blyustiteley, Bozhe, khrani! 𝄆 Zhizn' ikh primernuyu, Nelitsemernuyu, Doblestyam vernuyu, Ty pomyani! 𝄇	(For our) warriors of peace, The guardians of truth, God, do save (them)! 𝄆 Their exemplary lives, Unfeigned (lives), (Lives) true to valour May you remember! 𝄇
О, Провидение! Благословение Нам ниспошли! 𝄆 К благу стремление, В счастье смирение, В скорби терпение Дай на земли! 𝄇	О, Провидѣніе! Благословеніе Намъ ниспошли! 𝄆 Къ благу стремленіе, Въ счастьѣ смиреніе, Въ скорби терпѣніе Дай на земли! 𝄇	O, Provideniye! Blagosloveniye Nam nisposhli! 𝄆 K blagu stremleniye, V shchastye smireniye, V skorbi terpeniye Day na zemli! 𝄇	O, Providence! Blessing Grant to us! 𝄆 Aspiration to good, Humility in happiness, Patience in sorrow Give on this earth! 𝄇
Будь нам заступником, Верным сопутником Нас провожай! 𝄆 Светло-прелестная, Жизнь поднебесная, Сердцу известная, сердцу сияй! 𝄇	Будь намъ заступникомъ, Вѣрнымъ сопутникомъ Насъ провожай! 𝄆 Свѣтло-прелестная, Жизнь поднебесная, Сердцу извѣстная, сердцу сіяй! 𝄇	Bud' nam zastupnikom, Vernym soputnikom, Nas provozhay! 𝄆 Svetlo-prelestnaya, Zhizn' podnebesnaya, Serdtsu izvestnaya, Serdtsu siyay! 𝄇	Be our protector, Our faithful companion, See us off! 𝄆 Bright and charming, Life under skies, Known to our hearts, Shine in our hearts! 𝄇

External links

National anthems of Russia

"Let the Thunder of Victory Rumble!" (1791–1816; unofficial)
"How Glorious Is Our Lord in Zion" (1794–1816; unofficial)
"The Prayer of Russians" (1816–1833)
"God Save the Tsar!" (1833–1917)
"Worker's Marseillaise" (1917–1918)
"Anthem of Free Russia" (1917; unofficial)
"How Glorious Is Our Lord in Zion" (1918–1920)
"The Internationale" (1918–1944)
"State Anthem of the Soviet Union" (1944–1991)
"The Patriotic Song" (1991–2000)
"State Anthem of the Russian Federation" (2000–present)

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Austria (then Austria-Hungary, 1797–1918)
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