Rightful ruler
Lee Lyrics
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Qedamawi ras fetari
Qedamawi iyesus kristos
Lebdama mabrak isad
Tenayistilgn
Kings of kings, lords of lords
Conquering lion of the tribe of judah
Elect of god, mighty god
Blessed be the man that walk'eth not
In the counsel of the ungodly
Nor stand'eth in the ways of sinners
Nor sitt'eth in the seat of the scornful
For I delight is in the law of the lord god, Selassie I
In his laws do I meditate day and night
Therefore I must be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water
And bring'eth forth fruit in due season
I locks also shall not wither
And whatsoever I do'eth shall prosper
The weak heart are not so, oh no!
They are like the chaff that the wind driv'eth away
Therefore no weak heart shall stand in the judgment
Nor no sinners in the congregation of the righteous
For the lord god so high
That he know'eth the way of the righteous
And know that the way of the weak heart
Shall crumble, paralyze and burn
Jah Rastafari!
But he delight in earthquake, brimstone and fiyah
To kill, crum
Jah! mighty god! everliving god!
And do away with all weak heart
Conception to my creation continually
And let our righteousness cover this earth
As the waters cover the sea Isaiah 11:9
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain:
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the lord,
As the waters cover the sea.
He reigns from that iwa until this iwa
Hailful I, so high and so mighty
Jah Rastafari!
I am the earth rightful ruler
The song "Rightful Ruler" by Lee celebrates the almighty Jah Rastafari as the ultimate and rightful leader of the earth. It starts by paying homage to different divine entities such as Kibir Amlak, Qedamawi Ras Fetari, which are believed to represent God or divinity in Rastafarian culture. This is followed by a reference to the Bible's Psalm 1, where Lee explains the importance of following divine principles and avoiding the counsel of the ungodly, sinners, and the scornful. The lyrics further assert that those who follow divine principles will prosper, like a tree planted by the river that bears fruit in the right season. On the other hand, the weak at heart will crumble and perish.
The song goes on to emphasize Jah Rastafari's power and might, stating that he delights in brimstone, fiyah, and earthquakes to destroy the weak, and that he is the everliving and mighty God who continually creates as well as destroys. The final verse echoes the words of Isaiah and declares that the knowledge of the Lord will spread throughout the earth, and all people will live in peace and harmony under Jah Rastafari's rule, who is referred to as "the earth's rightful ruler".
Overall, "Rightful Ruler" is a powerful Rastafarian anthem that celebrates the divine power of Jah Rastafari and encourages people to follow divine principles for a righteous and prosperous life.
Line by Line Meaning
Kibir amlak
Calling on the Almighty God
Qedamawi ras fetari
The exalted king of kings
Qedamawi iyesus kristos
The exalted Jesus Christ
Lebdama mabrak isad
Praise and thanks to the almighty God
Tenayistilgn
Giving thanks and praise to God
Kings of kings, lords of lords
Referring to God, the ultimate authority
Conquering lion of the tribe of Judah
Referring to God as a powerful and victorious being
Elect of god, mighty god
God is chosen and powerful
Everliving god, earth's rightful ruler
God is eternal and the ruler of the Earth
Blessed be the man that walk'eth not
Fortunate is the person who does not follow evil influences
In the counsel of the ungodly
Association with those who do not believe in God
Nor stand'eth in the ways of sinners
Staying away from sinful behavior
Nor sitt'eth in the seat of the scornful
Avoiding those who mock God
For I delight is in the law of the lord god, Selassie I
The singer finds joy in following God's laws
In his laws do I meditate day and night
The singer thinks about God's laws constantly
Therefore I must be like a tree
The singer wants to be strong and rooted in faith
Planted by the rivers of water
Nourished and sustained by God
And bring'eth forth fruit in due season
Generating positive outcomes in life
I locks also shall not wither
The singer's hair, symbolizing life force, will not diminish
And whatsoever I do'eth shall prosper
God will bless the singer's endeavors
The weak heart are not so, oh no!
The unfaithful are not blessed by God
They are like the chaff that the wind driv'eth away
The unfaithful are easily scattered by life's challenges
Therefore no weak heart shall stand in the judgment
Only the faithful will succeed in the end
Nor no sinners in the congregation of the righteous
Unrepentant sinners will not be accepted among the faithful
For the lord god so high
God is exalted and supreme
That he know'eth the way of the righteous
God knows and supports the path of the faithful
And know that the way of the weak heart
The unfaithful will suffer and fail
Shall crumble, paralyze and burn
Their weakness will lead to destruction
Jah Rastafari!
Calling on God, the Almighty
But he delight in earthquake, brimstone and fiyah
God enjoys power and destruction
To kill, crum
God has the power to defeat enemies
And do away with all weak heart
God will destroy the unfaithful
Conception to my creation continually
God is responsible for the singer's life and existence
And let our righteousness cover this earth
The faithful should spread righteousness in the world
As the waters cover the sea Isaiah 11:9
A biblical reference to a time of peace and prosperity
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain:
A time where there will be no violence and destruction
For the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the lord,
When everyone will be aware of God's truth
He reigns from that iwa until this iwa
God is eternal and always in power
Hailful I, so high and so mighty
Acknowledging God's majesty and power
Jah Rastafari!
Calling on God, the Almighty
I am the earth rightful ruler
The singer believes that God is the true ruler of the Earth
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: GLEN ADAMS, PETER MCINTOSH, RAINFORD PERRY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@ethanhill9460
I would suggest BAD BRAINS continued this expression.
@robertjack4329
Also on vocals is Peter Tosh.
@mikekilmer3769
David Katz describes this as a first record that not only "shifted the role of the [toaster] from incidental commentator and noisemaker to lyrical sage... as important as any singer", but also was a "direct expression of belief in Rastafari" at a time when this was a dangerous expression.