Please help in the translation of this plaque I was given as a gift....

[stephano]

Hello I was given this plaque as a gift and am unsure of the dialect as well as what it says. I would greatly appreciate any help in the translation of this plaque as well as to find out what language it is written in specifically. Thank you for your time and help in this matter!!!

[Bates]

It says 神威壮山河，and maybe it's from some Chinese ancient poems,I ve just searched, and find a similar sentence, 神威惊五岳,剑气壮山河, it shows one's determination to devote for the country and sth like this.Well,山河 means mountain and river in English, in ancient China, usually means the whole country.just like五岳， whose original meaning is five mountains.sorry that I can't translate神威, and the verb壮。 I'm a Chinese,I can understand the meaning well, but translation, sometimes maybe difficult.

[stephano]

No need to be sorry I understand translation can be trick especially when it comes to trying to make sense of it in the english language. I appreciate any help I am given in the translation of this. Thank you so very much for what you have done thus far in helping me.

[Bates]

Well, need to learn more about translation,

[lingo-ling]

神威 - divine power? divine might?

[stephano]

Thank you lingo-ling I believe what you say to be correct on the first 2 symbols. It sounds very close to what an asian woman tried to tell me through very poor english yesterday when I visited her business establishment and showed her the pictures. You have been of great help in this matter and I thank you greatly for your honesty, accuracy and help in my search!

[lingo-ling]

Or if you want to go full-blown Buddhist, I suppose 神威 could be translated as "shakti".