auto_stories The Bible in Fongbe
Psalm 23 in Fon
Mawu wɛ nɔ nyí kplɔ́nnɔ ce — “The Lord is my shepherd”. Psalm 23, one of the most sung, reveals in its Fon translation a particular poetry tied to pastoral life in Benin.
“Mawu is my shepherd”
The word kplɔ́nnɔ literally means « the one who keeps the animals ». In a Fon context, it evokes the goatherd or shepherd — a powerful image in the villages.
Green pastures
Gbe mɛ́ = « in the bush / in the grass ». In Benin, it is the image of rest after plowing, in the shade of a mango tree.
Even in the dark valley
This is the most quoted verse. Zinflu = shadow/darkness. Xɛsi = fear. The double negative ɖé ǎ reinforces the total absence of fear.
Liturgical context
This psalm is sung in Catholic and evangelical churches in Benin, often at funerals. In Fon, it brings an extra cultural dimension for the congregation.
A universal poetry in Fon
Psalm 23 in Fon blends biblical spirituality with the Beninese pastoral imagination. A text to meditate on for those seeking inner peace.
Fon culture is understood in the Fon language.
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