1. Avia, matoria fa lazaiko anao
ny fomba niavian’i Jesoa Tomponao.
Fa tany an-tany iray ‘zay lavitra be
No terak’ ilay zaza toa an’ ise.
[Chorus]
Ô! Matoria fa aza manahy.
Avelao ho tony re ny fanahy.
Ô! Matoria ‘zany zanako izany.
Jesoa no hiaro anao eto an-tany.
2. Andian’anjely no nilaz(a) i-zany,
nitondra hazavana ho ety an-tany.
Ka kintan(a) iray no nitsilo nialoha,
nanoro izay nisy an’i Jesoa.
[Chorus]
Ô! Matoria fa aza manahy.
Avelao ho tony re ny fanahy.
Ô! Matoria ‘zany zanako izany.
Jesoa no hiaro anao eto an-tany.
3. Nahita azy io koa ireo mpiandry ondry,
dia ‘lay zazakely tao an-tranon’omby.
Tsy nanan(a) ahiahy na dia tsisy fandriana.
Jesoa dia natory tamim-pifaliana.
[Chorus]
Ô! Matoria fa aza manahy.
Avelao ho tony re ny fanahy.
Ô! Matoria ‘zany zanako izany.
Jesoa no hiaro anao eto an-tany.
Tonony sy feony: Joseph Ballantyne, 1868–1944
Valin-kira: Patricia Haglund Nielsen, 1936–2009. © 1989 IRI