Jah bless is an expression that means "God blesses", used mainly by Jamaican Rastafarians.
The faithful of this religious movement proclaim Haile Selassie, crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in 1930 and deceased in 1975, as the earthly representation of jah, a term that literally means “God”.
Haile Selassie I
The context of the term Jah Bless
jah bless It is used by Rastafarian adept Jamaicans when greeting or saying goodbye to friends belonging to the same group. It consists of a desire for your neighbor to receive divine blessings and be able to have happiness and success in life.
Etymologically, jah bless is formed from the union of the term jah, which means "God", and bless, an English word that is translated as “blessing” in Portuguese.
Rastafari is the movement responsible for spreading the expression around the world.
It is a religious movement that emerged in Jamaica among the working class and Afro-descendant peasants in the mid-early 20th century, initiated by an interpretation of biblical prophecy.
The term Joh bless is deeply rooted in Jamaican culture. Reggae singer Ziggy Marley, son of the iconic Bob Marley, dedicated a song to this expression.
also see the meaning of the word jah.