Believe – English Lyrics

• By: Meek Mill, Justin Timberlake

Lyrics & Translation

Discover the power of perseverance through Meek Mill and Justin Timberlake's "Believe." This song offers a compelling narrative of overcoming struggle, making it a unique tool for language learners to engage with themes of hope and determination. By exploring the lyrics, you can learn vocabulary related to resilience and personal triumph while being inspired by a story of turning hardship into strength.

[English]

(♪ ♪)

(♪ ♪)

♪ You know I still believe, still believe in you and me ♪

♪ 'Cause every night I go to sleep, go to sleep ♪

♪ I can see it like a movie in my dreams ♪

♪ Put my face in the dirt on the ground ♪

♪ Still, I raise up to take back the crown, yes ♪

♪ You can break my body ♪

♪ But you can't lock the soul of a man down ♪

♪ Follow your dreams, not your addictions ♪

♪ How we gon' follow our dreams locked in a prison? ♪

♪ They tried to swallow me whole, God be my witness ♪

♪ Deprive me out of my dreams but I'm relentless ♪

♪ I want the money, ain't never want attention ♪

♪ So I don't pay attention to comments and all the mentions ♪

♪ 'Cause they ain't see my vision ♪

♪ I was washin' dishes 'til my rags turned into riches ♪

♪ Glad when it was Christmas ♪

♪ We ain't even barely get presents, but we was gifted ♪

♪ In the school of failure, we present, perfect attendance ♪

♪ Welfare baby, we workin' with what they give us ♪

♪ Made me some commas, judge still gave me a sentence ♪

♪ No period, city girls don't get scared when it's really real ♪

♪ When your bank account twenty mil' and your house up on a hill ♪

♪ And your fam in the driveway, you walk out and see the grill ♪

♪ Thank God you believe, make sure you pray when you kneel, yeah ♪

♪ You know I still believe, still believe in you and me ♪

♪ 'Cause every night I go to sleep, go to sleep ♪

♪ I can see it like a movie in my dreams ♪

♪ Put my face in the dirt on the ground ♪

♪ Still, I raise up to take back the crown, yes ♪

♪ You can break my body ♪

♪ But you can't lock the soul of a man down ♪

♪ Yeah, uh ♪

♪ My bank account, it was on super-zero ♪

♪ Ain't never panic, I'm a superhero, uh ♪

♪ Target my goals and I'ma shoot the arrow ♪

♪ When God turned the heat up on me, he said "You De Niro" ♪

♪ Play your part, got some brains like the Scarecrow ♪

♪ Let's play it smart, 'cause we ain't playin' checkers ♪

♪ This is chess, play your pawns ♪

♪ Sit back like a King, when they move, make your mark ♪

♪ And never ever let your competition take your heart (Take your heart) ♪

♪ Say I believe in myself ♪

♪ When everybody stop believin', never leave on yourself ♪

♪ They had my back against the wall, I had to lean on myself ♪

♪ Almost made me put my dreams on the shelf, I'm trippin' (I'm trippin') ♪

♪ The laws of attraction, you just think I'm rappin' ♪

♪ I'm just puttin' out the energy so I can grab it ♪

♪ Everything that's in my memory that I imagined ♪

♪ It's finally here, hundred million in a year ♪

(♪ ♪)

(♪ ♪)

♪ I still believe, still believe in you and me ♪

♪ 'Cause every night I go to sleep, go to sleep ♪

♪ I can see it like a movie in my dreams ♪

♪ Put my face in the dirt on the ground ♪

♪ Still I raise up to take back the crown, yes ♪

♪ You can break my body ♪

♪ But you can't lock the soul of a man down ♪

♪ As I lay (As I lay) me down to sleep (Down to sleep) ♪

♪ Pray the Lord (Pray), my soul to keep (Soul to keep) ♪

♪ Fallen ones (Fallen ones), rest in peace (R.I.P) ♪

♪ Please God, {watch over me} (Watch over me) ♪

♪ As I lay (As I lay) me down to sleep (Down to sleep) ♪

♪ Pray the Lord (Pray), my soul to keep (Soul to keep) ♪

♪ Fallen ones (Fallen ones), rest in peace (R.I.P) ♪

Please God, {watch over me}

There will be sign in the sun moon and stars

On the earth nations will be in anguish at the roaring and tossing of the sea

People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what will come of the world

When these things begin to take place stand up and raise your heads

Because your redemption is coming

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
believe /bɪˈliːv/ A1	verb - to have confidence in the truth or existence of something
dream /driːm/ A1	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep verb - to have a series of thoughts, images, and sensations while asleep
relentless /rɪˈlɛntlɪs/ B2	adjective - showing no sign of stopping or easing
vision /ˈvɪʒən/ A2	noun - the ability to think about or plan the future with imagination or wisdom
prison /ˈprɪzən/ A1	noun - a place where people are kept as a punishment for a crime
witness /ˈwɪtnɪs/ A2	noun - a person who sees something happen verb - to see or know by personal presence
riches /ˈrɪtʃɪz/ A2	noun - a large amount of money and valuable possessions
attendance /əˈtɛndəns/ B1	noun - the act of being present at a place or event
redemption /rɪˈdɛmpʃən/ B2	noun - the action of saving or being saved from sin, error, or evil
superhero /ˈsuːpərhiːroʊ/ A2	noun - a fictional character with superhuman powers
target /ˈtɑːrɡɪt/ A2	noun - a person, object, or place selected as the aim of an attack verb - to select as a target
energy /ˈɛnərʤi/ A1	noun - the strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity
memory /ˈmɛməri/ A1	noun - the faculty by which the mind stores and remembers information
anguish /ˈæŋɡwɪʃ/ B2	noun - extreme unhappiness, distress, or pain of mind
competition /ˌkɑːmpəˈtɪʃən/ A2	noun - the activity of striving to win something by defeating others

Key Grammar Structures

• You can break my body, but you can't lock the soul of a man down.

  ➔ Modal verb + infinitive (base form)

  ➔ "can" expresses ability, while "can't" expresses inability; both are followed by the base verb without “to”.

• They tried to swallow me whole, God be my witness.

  ➔ Past simple + infinitive (to‑verb); Subjunctive (imperative‑like) clause

  ➔ "tried" is past simple; it is followed by the infinitive "to swallow". The clause "God be my witness" uses the subjunctive (base form of the verb) to express a solemn oath.

• I was washing dishes 'til my rags turned into riches.

  ➔ Past continuous; Past simple; "'til" = until

  ➔ "was washing" shows an ongoing action in the past; "turned" is a simple past verb. "'til" is a colloquial contraction of "until".

• I want the money, ain't never want attention.

  ➔ Present simple; Double negative with colloquial "ain't"

  ➔ "want" is in the present simple. "ain't never" forms a double negative, a common feature in informal speech.

• When God turned the heat up on me, He said "You De Niro."

  ➔ Past simple; Reported speech introduction

  ➔ "turned" and "said" are past simple verbs. The clause after "said" is a direct quotation, marked by quotation marks.

• Say I believe in myself.

  ➔ Imperative mood; Omitted "that" clause

  ➔ "Say" is an imperative verb, giving a command. The clause "I believe in myself" is understood as a content clause, often introduced by "that" which is omitted here.

• Everything that's in my memory that I imagined.

  ➔ Relative clauses with "that"; Restrictive clause

  ➔ "that" introduces two restrictive relative clauses: "that’s in my memory" and "that I imagined", which specify the noun "Everything".

• The laws of attraction, you just think I'm rappin'.

  ➔ Present simple; Present progressive; Contrast with "just"

  ➔ "think" is in the present simple, expressing a habitual belief. "I'm rappin'" is present progressive, indicating an ongoing action at the moment of speaking.

• I’m just putting out the energy so I can grab it.

  ➔ Present progressive; Purpose clause with "so I can"

  ➔ "I’m putting" uses the present progressive to describe an action in progress. The phrase "so I can grab it" is a purpose clause introduced by "so" plus a modal "can".