Strength & Hope

(album: Bobo Ashanti - 2000)

[Intro:]
Haile I, ever live in love, blessed my lord & empress, Ethiopia
Hear the right O Jah Rastafari,
attend unto I and I cry and give ears unto I and I words that going not of favourites
Let basentess come forth from thy prison, tell yuh to rise, behold the things which are equal
I and I say black people never lose the faith,
Him cop he head so we get it and the king of glory shall come in
Emperor Haile Selassie I is our ever-living king,yes
Is more love & joy Rastafari bring, yeah yeah

[Chorus 1:]
Rastafari ha we strength & hope
Inna d system d youths dem na go cope
The life some living is ah joke
Always live for the best, of course, yah [times 2]

[Verse 1:]
Ay, be not like dem old Phareces & Scribes,yahh
Be not like dem who always fuss and fight, ooohhh
Just live in love and protect your life
Israelites, give praises, always yes
And to the most high

[chorus 1: x2]

[Verse 2:]
It has been such a very long while
Black people been suffering, yah, hey
High society say dem ah d top ah d line
So dem take we as dey mockery and postering, yow
Dem couldn't stop mih locks from growing
Yow, well deh couldn't stop Jah breeze from blowin',no
Ah say dem couldn't stop d river from flowing
To Ethiopia,Africa black people going
Righteousness Rastafari sowing
Aayy, justice endowing

[Chorus 2:]
Rastafari ha we strength & hope
Inna d system d youths dem cyah cope
All dey got to give are guns & coke
Dey never see fire we done smoke, burn dem out now

[chorus 1]

[Verse 3:]
It surely give me joy to see you seeing & praise the Most High
It will give you joy, how good in place and black people dem ha in I, jyow
Why should we ever dear fight, yow
When everyone is equal in Selassie I sight
Be fruitful and live in the sunshine
King Selassie I hail we every time

[chorus 1: x2] [fading]